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Germs in the Bedroom

Reviewed by Cynthia Dennison Haines, MD
Protect your children from germs.

Germs are often spread through shared toys. Try these 10 tips to beat bacteria in the bedroom and playroom.

Whether children play in the bedroom or in a separate playroom, they may not be the only ones playing hide and seek there. These areas may be inundated with uninvited guests. The germs that can cause colds and flus can, and do, take up residence on favorite toys, whether a set of Legos or a Dora the Explorer doll.

Children are two to three times more likely than adults to get sick with the flu. And experts tell WebMD that they often spread the virus to others by sharing toys.

"Their airways are narrow, so every germ gets stuck and they have not yet developed immunity to many viruses," says Neil Schachter, MD, medical director of respiratory care at Mount Sinai in New York City, and the author of The Good Doctor's Guide to Colds and Flu.

Ten strategies to keep playrooms free of germs.


SOURCES: Paul Horowitz, MD, the medical director of Pediatric Clinics at Legacy Health System in Portland, Ore. Neil Schachter, MD, medical director, respiratory care, Mount Sinai, New York City; and author, The Good Doctor's Guide to Colds and Flu.

© 2008 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.  

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