Physicians Advise Parents On Children’s Good Hygiene Practices

Physicians yesterday in
Lagos urged parents to teach their children good hygiene practices to prevent tonsillitis, an infection which is often cause by bacteria or virus.
Dr Dele Popoola of Hopewell Hospital, Oshodi, Lagos, who made the appeal in an interview in Lagos said that though tonsillitis did not pose a serious threat to a child’s health, it makes the child very uncomfortable.
He urged parents to teach their children proper hygiene practices to prevent the virus and bacteria that cause the disease and other childhood ailments.
He also appealed to parents to encourage their children to wash their hands before eating, after going to the toilet and after coughing or sneezing. “Tonsil infections may be contagious and can spread from person to person by contact with the mouth, throat or mucus of an infected person.
“Frequent hand washing is one of the most effective ways to avoid getting sick and spreading infections to others. “Parents should make sure their children wash their hands frequently, especially after visiting the toilet and before eating. “They should be taught to cough or sneeze into a tissue and to use a tissue when wiping their nose. Children should be discouraged from sharing their cups and cutlery,” he said.
Popoola said some symptoms of tonsillitis included sore throat, difficulty in swallowing, fever, headache, stomach ache, ear pain and swollen tonsils.
Contributing, another medical practitioner, Dr Abiola Ajala, said tonsils acted as filters that trapped germs or particles that could otherwise enter the airways and cause infection.
She said tonsillitis could lead to problems like headaches, difficulty in swallowing and bad breath.
“Tonsillitis usually goes away on its own within a few days and may not necessarily require treatment. However, the infected child will need plenty nourishment, fluids and rest. “If swallowing is painful for the child, give him soft food, tea and liquids that are easily swallowed. “To avoid spread of the infection to other children, his drinking cup and plates should be kept separate and washed in warm soapy water,” she said.
Ajala said that most children usually outgrow tonsillitis and it occurred less frequently as they grow older.