Parenting
A Parents Guide to MRSA
By
Aug 24, 2008 - 7:14:04 AM

(HealthNewsDigest.com) - With all the media attention MRSA has gotten recently, highlighting an alarming trend of infections transcending health care facilities into lower risk type environments like schools and child care centers, many parents are left today confused and afraid for the safety and health of their children. In order to wade through the information it is important to understand some clear facts and then position you and your children to minimize your risks.

First, it is important to understand what MRSA is. Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus is a strain of staph bacteria that does not respond to penicillin or related antibiotics. While staph infections have been around as long as people have, these recent strains have emerged as a particular threat because of their treatment resistance capabilities. In our communities, most MRSA infections are skin based and emerge as red swollen and painful boils or pustules. What most people also do not know is that an estimated 1/3 of the population represents actual carriers of staph and never show symptoms of infection. Most transmissions occur from direct skin-to-skin contact with an open cut or abrasion or from coming into contact with surfaces or items that have been contaminated with someone else’s infection. Transmission can occur anywhere however, there are certain settings that increase the risk of transmission. The Center for Disease Control refers to them as the 5 C’s

- Crowding
- Contact (skin to skin)
- Compromised skin (open cuts or abrasions)
- Contaminated (surfaces and items)
- Cleanliness (lack of)

There are many locations where these areas are present in our schools and childcare centers including: locker rooms, mats, restrooms, nap areas, shared toys or equipment, just about anywhere our children come in close contact with other children increases the risk potential for transmission. There are several things that you can do to help reduce the risk of infection and transmission of MRSA and many other pathogenic organisms in your children’s environment.

1.Demand that your children’s school or care center employ effective daily aseptic, health based cleaning programs with hospital grade disinfectants registered by the EPA against MRSA to reduce the risk of surface contact transmissions.
2.If someone in your child’s school or care center is diagnosed with MRSA or any other dangerous infection demand that your school allocate the funds or resources to inform all students and parents, have the entire facility professionally cleaned and decontaminated, then require that all high touch points be cleaned by staff multiple times through out the day with disposable disinfectant products.
3.Teach your children to practice good hand hygiene. Effective soap and water hand washing followed by an alcohol based hand sanitizer application.
4.Ensure your children shower immediately and wash effectively after participation in sports or exercise
5.Wrestlers and gymnasts or dancers who spend close contact time on matted surfaces should consider using foam skin sanitizers before entering and after leaving the mat.
6.Make sure that any open cuts or abrasions your children have remained clean and covered.
7.Teach your children not to share any personal items with others
8.Train your children to use some type of personal barrier like a towel between themselves in high-risk areas such as weight benches and exercise equipment or ask their school to provide effective disinfectant wipes for the students use.
9.Frequently clean and wipe down children’s belongings that have been at school, backpacks, shoes, gym bags can all represent fomites of transmission. Use a hospital grade germicide with EPA registration to kill MRSA.
10.If your school or center is not receptive, band together with other parents and demand a clean and safe environment for your children

These steps will reduce the risk associated with not only MRSA but also most harmful pathogens in your children’s environment. It is important to remember that while these new strains of germs are out there is no need to become germophobic and keep your kids in a bubble, germs are all around us and always will be. While some germs are good others like MRSA are bad, but a healthy human body has a tremendous immune system and with a little common sense and taking a good defensive hygienic posture you can substantially reduce, your risk of acquiring a community-transmitted infection.

For more information, visit www.coverall.com.

About Peter J. Sheldon, Sr., CBSE

Peter Sheldon brings over 17 years of experience in the Building Services Contracting industry to his position as vice president of operations of Coverall Cleaning Concepts. As vice president of operations, Sheldon works closely with the Coverall Cleaning Concepts’ sales force to spearhead initiatives that further the Company’s strategic objectives and help the Company develop the most efficient cleaning processes available. In recent years, Sheldon has been fundamental in developing Coverall Cleaning Concepts’ alliances with Procter & Gamble, Minuteman and Kaivac Cleaning Systems. Sheldon was also a key contributor to the Company’s expansion into the Healthcare market and developed many of the processes that make the Company’s dedicated Health-Based Cleaning System unique to Coverall Cleaning Concepts.


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