Life in a house with multiple children of mixed ages in a small house can feel like a never-ending relay race where the baton is a stomach bug or respiratory virus. We once faced a grueling six-month cycle of illness—everything from Strep Throat, Fifth’s disease, strep, and Hand, Foot, and Mouth (HFM) to recurrent staph infections on simple bug bites. This experience forced a complete reassessment of our health protocols to move from general hygiene to strategic infection control.
Understanding the “Germ Monsters”
“Germs” is a non-medical term for microscopic organisms—bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa—that cause disease. Children under seven are particularly vulnerable because they have immature immune systems and a natural tendency to put their hands and toys in their mouths.
Germs travel through the “Contagion Highway”:
- Droplets from coughs and sneezes.
- Body fluids, including infectious drainage from sores.
- Contaminated surfaces.
Surprisingly, research has shown that everyday items like strollers, sippy cups, and plush toys can harbor more bacteria than an average bathroom floor.
The Staph/Scratch Cycle
One of our biggest hurdles was cellulitis, a serious skin infection that often starts as a simple bug bite. Any bite—from a mosquito, tick, or flea—creates a tiny opening in the skin that allows bacteria to enter. When a child scratches, they smear bacteria from under their fingernails (or even bug waste) into that wound.
If a bite develops redness, warmth, swelling, or yellow pus-like drainage, it may be infected and require medical attention. To track it, you can draw a border around the redness with a washable marker; if the redness expands past that line, contact a healthcare provider immediately.
New Protocols for the Home
To break the cycle, we moved beyond basic cleaning:
1. The “Welcome Home” Wash Handwashing is the single best way to prevent the spread of germs. We implemented a mandatory stop at the sink the moment kids arrive home from school or childcare.
- The Technique: Scrub vigorously for at least 20 seconds, focusing on the backs of hands, between fingers, and under nails.
- Soap vs. Sanitizer: Use soap and water for visible dirt; alcohol-based sanitizers (at least 60% alcohol) are for “clean” hands that touched a potentially contaminated surface like a doorknob.
2. No More Sharing & Simple Cups While sharing is a great social skill, it is not the best way to stay healthy. We became strict about no sharing of food, drinks, or utensils.
Additionally, we swapped out all sippy cups and water bottles—which have many crevices and are hard to truly sanitize—for simple, regular cups that the dishwasher can thoroughly clean.
3. Strategic Diapering Diaper changes are a major pathway for germs. All changes were limited to a dedicated waterproof surface.
- Wash both your hands and the child’s hands after every change.
- Surface Disinfection: After each use, scrub the surface with disinfectant and let it air dry.
4. The Bug Bite Defense To stop staph from entering via bites, clean them with soap and water (we also used peroxide) and immediately apply a bandage. This creates a physical barrier that prevents contaminated fingernails from reaching the wound. Keeping fingernails trimmed and scrubbed during bathtime also helps. Making scrubbing a toddler’s fingernails more fun by offering a variety of brushes and lots of bath bubbles.
5. Surface & Laundry Warfare We used a 9-to-1 water-to-bleach ratio to disinfect “invisible germ highways” like light switches and doorknobs.
6. We also started using this diluted bleach solution on the shower floor and tub after each use to prevent the transmission of ringworm and staph from skin contact.
7. Single-Use Towel Rule: We switched from reusing bath towels for a few days to using a single-use towel per wash.
8. Essential Oils: A Helping Hand While we used Thieves Oil (a blend of clove, lemon, cinnamon, eucalyptus, and rosemary), it is important to note that research on the blend itself is limited. We found it useful for providing an invigorating aroma and temporary congestion relief, but it did not replace clinical disinfection.
The Foundation
Ultimately, the most critical step for preventing serious illness is keeping children up-to-date on routine vaccinations.
Breaking the cycle of infection requires vigilance, but once these habits become routine, you can spend less time fighting germs and more time enjoying your family.
What new hygiene strategy has your family implemented recently?
Edited to add: All of this happened in the year 2017 …before the COVID-19 pandemic. Luckily, we did not have to contend with that beast… yet.
References for Managing Germs in Early Intervention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, April 16). Healthy habits: Diaper changing at home. https://www.cdc.gov/hygiene/childcare/diapering.html
- This source provides the gold standard for sanitary diapering, which is a high-risk activity for the transmission of fecal-oral pathogens in early childhood settings. It outlines essential steps, such as wiping front-to-back and mandatory handwashing for both the caregiver and the child, which are fundamental to maintaining a healthy environment for infants and toddlers.
CHOC (Children’s Hospital of Orange County). (2023, April 20). Kids and germs: What parents should know. https://health.choc.org/kids-and-germs-what-parents-should-know/
- This resource is vital for educators and parents because it explains the biological reasons why children under seven are more vulnerable to illness, such as their immature immune systems and developmental tendency to put objects in their mouths. It offers practical advice on teaching proper handwashing and respiratory etiquette (like coughing into elbows) to help young children develop lifelong healthy habits.
Cleveland Clinic. (2025, April 4). Cellulitis from an infected bug bite. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/cellulitis-from-bug-bite
- This source helps caregivers distinguish between a minor irritation and a serious skin infection like cellulitis. For early interventionists working in various environments, the “washable marker” technique for tracking the spread of redness is a critical tool for monitoring a child’s health and determining when medical intervention is necessary to prevent complications like sepsis.
Minnesota Department of Health. (2025, September 2). Care of a Staphylococcus aureus infection. https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/staph/care.html
- This document provides rigorous clinical protocols for controlling Staph and MRSA, which often cycle through group childcare settings. Its detailed instructions on disinfecting high-touch “germ highways” (like doorknobs and light switches) with a 9-to-1 bleach solution and specific laundry handling techniques are essential for breaking chronic cycles of skin infections in multi-child households or classrooms.
Seladi-Schulman, J. (2019, July 31). Thieves oil: Research, benefits, how to use. (D. R. Wilson, Ed.). Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/thieves-oil
- While many parents use natural remedies, this source provides a balanced, evidence-based look at the antimicrobial potential and the significant safety risks of essential oils. It is particularly useful for early interventionists to guide parents on safe usage—such as proper dilution and awareness of photosensitivity—ensuring that these oils are used as a complement to, rather than a replacement for, clinical disinfection protocols.
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