Doctor Oz sent Dr Mike Roizen, “The Enforcer,” to Louisa May Alcott Elementary School to visit a first grade class and to see what kids do to pass germs at school, which then turns into illness that they bring home to the whole family. Why are kids so good at spreading germs? 
Dr. Michael Roizen said that there are germs all over the classroom. Kids spread germs on the computer, when playing with toys and even when braiding each others hair. At lunch, kids are sharing food and eating food straight off of the lunch room tables… germ heaven! During recess, the kids are busy spreading germs on the monkey bars. So the conclusion? Even when kids wash their hands, they are still spreading a lot of germs. Dr Oz and Dr Roizen teamed up to write You: Raising a Child, which I cannot wait to read!
Are Your Kids Making You Sick?
Flu Causing Germs
Dr Oz said that when children bring home books, pens, and computers, they may also be bringing home germs that can cause fever, sore throat and chills… a.k.a. the flu! 22 million school days a year are lost because of the common cold alone. More than 200 strains can cause the common cold. Dr Oz suggested that kids dry their hands on paper towels, because germs can live a long time on cloth. He also suggested using disposable cups. From an environmental point of view though, I really don’t see why kids have to use disposable cups. Why not just use regular cups and wash them after each use, which is what I do? If you put a cup in the dishwasher, it should get sterilized, right?
Stress
Dr Oz said that stress in parents can cause them to have headaches, memory loss and sleep problems. Though I do not really see what this has to do with germs at all. Dr Mike gave the analogy that child development is like a ride down the river, and you are the live river guide. The river is long and unpredictable, but you teach your kids values by what you do, not what you say. Dr Oz also suggested telling kids bedtime stories, because when they are tired, their defenses are down a bit, and they will be open to learning lessons.
Leave a Reply