Why:

• Washing your hands is the best way to keep from getting sick - it stops germs from spreading.
• Washing your hands protects you AND the children you are babysitting.

When:

• Before you eat or prepare food for the children you are babysitting
• After you use the toilet or help a child you are babysitting use the toilet
• After changing a diaper
• After you sneeze or cough
• After removing and disposing of gloves
• After playing outside
• After playing with pets

How:

• Wet your hands.
• Use soap.
• Rub your hands together vigorously for 20 seconds.
• Rinse well under running water.
• Dry with a paper towel.  (Be sure to throw away used paper towels.)

Remember:

• Make it fun!  Singing "Happy Birthday" twice takes about 20 seconds.
• Be a good role model - wash your hands at the same time you have the children wash their hands.

First aid for insect stings:

• Call 911 if the child has signs of a severe allergic reaction, such as trouble breathing or swallowing, loss of consciousness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, fainting, or severe swelling of eyes, lips and tongue.
• Handle the problem yourself if the swelling and redness are limited to the site of the sting:
  • If the stinger is visible, immediately scrape (Do not pull.) it with your fingernail to remove it.
  • Cover with clean wash cloth dipped in cold water.

Most nosebleeds happen when little, fragile blood vessels that line the inside of the nose break and bleed. Although they can be messy, uncomfortable, and scary, most nosebleeds look worse than they really are. You can handle most nosebleeds yourself. Place the child in a sitting position, leaning forward, and squeeze the outside of the child's nostrils with your thumb and first finger for 10 minutes. (Be sure the child is sitting quietly during those 10 minutes.) You should protect yourself by wearing disposable gloves or you can use a plastic grocery bag if disposable gloves are not available. Catch the blood using tissues or a damp washcloth. If the bleeding continues after 10 minutes, or if the bleeding is very heavy, you need to call the child's parent, or an available adult to come help you.