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I worked for a large public library system with 20+ branches. Many years ago they decided not to provide toys of any kind to just play with. The issue of sanitizing was a big factor in that.
We did hand out shaker eggs and scarves to play with during storytimes. Those we sanitized after every single use.
IMHO you do need to take your children out...they need to build up immunities. If you don't they will catch everything when they start kindergarten. Carry some wipes in your purse, both for the kids and for the furniture/toys you encounter.
And yes, I would ask the library what their sanitizing procedures are. I wouldn't say "Your dirty toys make my kids sick" because that will put them on the defensive. Just say, "I'm curious about your toys...how often do you wash and/or sterilize them?" If they say ".....Ummmm...." you know you've found your smoking gun. Write a letter to the director or Board or whatever.
Yep, I did notice that both times we went to a local skating rink over the winter one year, where they had arcade games, two of my kids got the flu. It's not a coincidence.
Real influenza or some stomach bug you're calling "flu"?
WRT toys: I worked in a pediatrician's office and we kept toy boxes in each exam room. The question of disease transmission came up one bad flu season. One of the younger doctors said there was research that flu isn't spread via toys. He never showed us the studies, but we kept the toy boxes. Mayo Clinic has some good information: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-...e/faq-20057907 "Cold and flu virus-laden droplets may remain infectious for several hours, depending on where they fall... Viruses generally remain active longer on stainless steel, plastic and similar hard surfaces than on fabric and other soft surfaces... It's possible to catch the flu or a cold after handling an object an infected person sneezed or coughed on a few moments ago. But personal contact with an infected person — such as a handshake or breathing in droplets from a cough or sneeze — is the most common way these viruses spread." For flu, "Most importantly — get a flu vaccine every year."
I agree with all the others who said handwashing is very important.
Real influenza or some stomach bug you're calling "flu"?
WRT toys: I worked in a pediatrician's office and we kept toy boxes in each exam room. The question of disease transmission came up one bad flu season. One of the younger doctors said there was research that flu isn't spread via toys. He never showed us the studies, but we kept the toy boxes. Mayo Clinic has some good information: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-...e/faq-20057907 "Cold and flu virus-laden droplets may remain infectious for several hours, depending on where they fall... Viruses generally remain active longer on stainless steel, plastic and similar hard surfaces than on fabric and other soft surfaces... It's possible to catch the flu or a cold after handling an object an infected person sneezed or coughed on a few moments ago. But personal contact with an infected person — such as a handshake or breathing in droplets from a cough or sneeze — is the most common way these viruses spread." For flu, "Most importantly — get a flu vaccine every year."
I agree with all the others who said handwashing is very important.
The OP is talking about norovirus, which can last DAYS on surfaces. It is entirely different from the flu/cold virus and much more intense disinfection is needed to disinfect. I know if I get it in my house, I usually disinfect my entire house with heavy duty bleach or Lysol products that will kill it. That is why places like a cruise ship have such problems. Everyone is touching the same surfaces like stair railways, elevator buttons, buffet tongs/utensils. Most of the new ships now have handwashing stations outside of the buffets because they sanitizer alone is typicall not effective against norovirus (handwashing is better).
If the OP’s child got it at the library and then came back later and it had not been thoroughly sanitized, it is possible to catch it again. However, usually once you get it one time, you have immunity for about a year. That is not to say there can’t be multiple types of virus, however.
The OP is talking about norovirus, which can last DAYS on surfaces. It is entirely different from the flu/cold virus and much more intense disinfection is needed to disinfect. I know if I get it in my house, I usually disinfect my entire house with heavy duty bleach or Lysol products that will kill it. That is why places like a cruise ship have such problems. Everyone is touching the same surfaces like stair railways, elevator buttons, buffet tongs/utensils. Most of the new ships now have handwashing stations outside of the buffets because they sanitizer alone is typicall not effective against norovirus (handwashing is better).
If the OP’s child got it at the library and then came back later and it had not been thoroughly sanitized, it is possible to catch it again. However, usually once you get it one time, you have immunity for about a year. That is not to say there can’t be multiple types of virus, however.
I was not responding to the OP in that post. I was responding to BirdieBelle who claims her kids got flu, twice in one winter, from playing video games at a skating rink. No wonder people don't think flu shots work, when they don't know what flu is.
Maybe I'm just lucky but my kids played with public toys, never had a shopping cart sanitized before they sat in it a d I didnt carry hand sanitizer everywhere to constantly sanitize their little grubby hands. My 11 year old got norovirus one time when he was 4 months old and never again and my 4 year old has never gotten more than a cold. I think over sanitizing is as big an issue as not cleaning things at all.
Maybe I'm just lucky but my kids played with public toys, never had a shopping cart sanitized before they sat in it a d I didnt carry hand sanitizer everywhere to constantly sanitize their little grubby hands. My 11 year old got norovirus one time when he was 4 months old and never again and my 4 year old has never gotten more than a cold. I think over sanitizing is as big an issue as not cleaning things at all.
I have to agree with this. I was not a hand-sanitizer mom at all. My kids did get the flu (influenza) once when they were 6 and 8. And they picked up stomach viruses a handful of times, and of course colds. But they weren't excessively sick... I'm talking about a few times per year they had a cold and maybe once per year or once every two years a stomach bug when they were young. They are teens now and don't catch stomach bugs anymore... haven't in years. They do still get one or two colds per year, though. Normal handwashing seems to be good enough, and we're not militant about it. Obviously after bathroom use and before cooking/preparing food, and if we go somewhere crowded, a bit more often than that.
Do you take your child to story hour or group activity time? Maybe he is getting sick from being exposed to the other children? Did you go other places the same days that you went to the library?
Also, getting sick twice may be just a coincidence.
Nope. No daycare, no preschool. But the SAME symptoms started EXACTLY after takinf her to SAME library. I think its no coincidence. Kids are dirty and basic hand washing will solve this...no...we go to that library then home or drive through fast food...that's it.
Either way, I'm still reporting them. The staff are like Nazis anyway. They take away toys just because a few kids don't put stuff back. Why should my kid get punished just becsuse of other kids not putting stuff back?
She doesn't go to preschool or daycare. We never go anywhere else ....expect maybe drive through for lunch. We stopped taking her to this particular library and went to another one..no problems. But when I took her back to the "problem" library, she got sick AGAIN.. Not a coincidence. The library is purely to blame!
I worked for a large public library system with 20+ branches. Many years ago they decided not to provide toys of any kind to just play with. The issue of sanitizing was a big factor in that.
We did hand out shaker eggs and scarves to play with during storytimes. Those we sanitized after every single use.
IMHO you do need to take your children out...they need to build up immunities. If you don't they will catch everything when they start kindergarten. Carry some wipes in your purse, both for the kids and for the furniture/toys you encounter.
And yes, I would ask the library what their sanitizing procedures are. I wouldn't say "Your dirty toys make my kids sick" because that will put them on the defensive. Just say, "I'm curious about your toys...how often do you wash and/or sterilize them?" If they say ".....Ummmm...." you know you've found your smoking gun. Write a letter to the director or Board or whatever.
She actually has an excellent immunity and RARELY NEVER EVER gets sick..like ever. As a baby she NEVER got sick. So don't tell me what to do. You dont know.. But yes I already posted a bad review...
Nope. No daycare, no preschool. But the SAME symptoms started EXACTLY after takinf her to SAME library. I think its no coincidence. Kids are dirty and basic hand washing will solve this...no...we go to that library then home or drive through fast food...that's it.
How long after do they get sick?
Do they wash their hands before they eat?
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