Personal Hygiene

Personal Health

For 3rd graders

By Rhonda Hughes-Rettig, MSN, BSN, RN

Germs

What are germs?

• Germs are microscopic organisms that can cause disease
• Germs are everywhere and on everything
• Some germs make us sick
• Some germs make us smell bad
• Some germs live on and in our

bodies

How are germs spread?

• Respiratory
• Germs are spread by coughing

or sneezing

• Contact
• Germs are spread by touching
• Gastrointestinal
• Germs are spread by eating

How do we stay healthy?

Wash your hands

• Our hands touch everything everyday
• Hand washing is the #1 way to stay healthy
• When to wash your hands
• before you eat,
• after you use bathroom,
• when they are dirty,
• after playing with pets or
• after practices.
• Wash your hands
• at least 30 seconds
• with soap and water

Wash your body

• Germs live on our bodies
• Shower or bathe every day
• Wash your hair at least every other day
• Use soap and water
• Wash your face with soap and water
• Wash your armpits

with soap and water

Brush your teeth

• Germs live in your mouth
• Germs cause bad breath
• Brush your teeth 2 times per day
• Use toothpaste
• Floss
• Do NOT put things in your mouth such as pencils/pens/etc.
• Nothing in your mouth but food!

Cough/sneeze into your sleeve

• This keeps germs off your hands if you sneeze or cough
• Use a tissue
• Blow your nose when congested
• How to blow your nose correctly
• Throw tissue away and wash your hands
• Do not pick your nose

Don’t pick Don’t lick

• Nose germs
• Staphylococcus lives in our noses
• When you pick your nose, you get this germ on your fingers
• Touching things spreads this germ around
• This germ causes bad infections
• Nothing in your mouth but food
• Objects contain germs
• If they get in our mouths, you will get sick

Change your clothes

• Germs get on clothes and make them dirty
• Dirty clothes smell bad
• Clean clothes need to be worn every day
• Clean underwear needs to be worn every day
• Clean socks need to be worn every day
• Clean laundry needs to be put away or hung up to avoid wrinkly clothes

Body odor

• What is body odor?
• Sweat glands in our bodies
• How to prevent body odor?
• When to expect body odor

Other

• Change pillow case and bed sheets weekly
• Do not share hairbrushes, hats, helmets etc
• Keep room clean
• Get plenty of exercise
• Sleep
• Nutrition
• Hydration

Basic first aid

Skin

• Skin
• Our largest body organ
• Barrier to germs
• Cuts and scrapes can become infected as they allow germs to get into our bodies
• Clean
• Apply Neosporin
• Cover with band aid

Nosebleeds

• Occur when small cut happens in nose
• If hit in nose
• If nose is dry
• If it’s picked
• Pinch your nose and look at your toes
• Never look up as blood will go down throat and into stomach and you will vomit

Bruises

• Bruise
• When soft tissue is injured
• Bleeding under skin makes purple color
• Changes color as blood is absorbed back into body
• How to treat
• Not every bump/bruise needs treatment
• Ice can help with swelling only