‘Don’t bother with antibacterial soaps, plain soap is fine for kids’
Parents have been told that plain soap is fine to use for children washing their hands to help prevent infection spreading.
Prof Martin Cormican, HSE national lead for infection control says: “Don’t bother with soaps that have antibacterial agents, plain soap is fine. Antibacterial soaps might play a part in making antibiotic resistance more common.”
When children get home from play it is important to help them wash their hands. They should wash their hands too when they are out and about; when they use the toilet; and before they eat.
“Make sure that your child has easy access to a sink in the home. If they are too small to reach the sink on their own, then you might try a small stepping stool which will give them the independence to wash their hands on their own,” he adds.