Should you regularly sanitize your kids' hands?

Gina (No)

Hand sanitizer has become commonplace in the post-COVID world, but at what cost? Research shows overuse risks from regularly sanitizing our kid's hands.

Germs are necessary to build a healthy immune system for children. Regularly sanitizing one's hands strips away all the necessary exposure to fight disease. In fact, a study found that kids who grew up on farms and were exposed to livestock and raw farm milk had a decreased prevalence of asthma, hay fever, and atopic disease. 

Research shows it is better, and overall safer, to remove germs with soap and water rather than killing them with sanitizer. Because hand sanitizer can’t remove 100% of bacteria, the remaining bacteria actually become stronger, creating superbugs that become resistant to treatment. Another consideration is the waste of time, money, and resources needed to use sanitizer regularly. 

Because hand sanitizer is typically made with isopropyl alcohol or peroxide, it dries out children’s skin, inevitably leading to cracks, which become a hotbed for microbes. Skin acts as a barrier; when it no longer functions properly, allergens and pathogens can be absorbed, leading to serious illness.

Young children often rub their eyes and put their hands in their mouths. They are too young to understand that these are unhealthy hygiene practices. When sanitizer is present on a child’s hands and they rub their eyes, it can cause ocular damage.

Hand sanitizer has been found in more homes recently; the National Poison Data System has reported an uptick in calls from children who have ingested hand sanitizer, which has serious health implications. 

Clearly, regularly sanitizing your kid's hands is not healthy. Sticking to a traditional hand-washing practice is the healthier way to go. 

Mary (Yes)

As endearing and adorable as they can be, children are essentially germ magnets. They can’t help but explore, touching everything in sight, and then—no hesitation—hands go straight into their mouths, and so does whatever bacteria or virus was on the surface of the last ten things they just handled. In addition, their immune systems are still developing, and it’s scientifically proven that they have faster metabolisms, higher breathing rates, and thinner skin. This, coupled with the fact that not licking the playground is apparently a learned trait, means that children are unbelievably vulnerable to sickness.

Soap and water, as good as they are, aren’t always the best or easiest options. While at the park, and after your child has climbed over every surface and pet every dog in sight and then begs for a snack, hand sanitizer will come to your rescue! It’s a known fact that sanitizer does not kill every germ, but it’s much better than killing no germs. It has also been proven to remove allergens.

Even when a sink and soap are readily available, trying to convince a kid to wash their hands properly and effectively can feel like trying to push an immovable rock—you get nowhere. A study in Spain recorded this fact, showing that out of 911 children in daycare, those offered hand sanitizer had a 23% reduction in respiratory infections compared to those with only regular hand washing as an option. Ultimately, keeping yourself and your little ones healthy should be top priority. Hand sanitizer is a small tool that can make a big difference.