Germs..how Can My Family Stay Healthy While Other Kids Are in Our Home?

There is a book....titled "Those Mean Dirty Down Rigth Disgusting but Invisible Germs"

Great book, Teaches kids, and helps promote germ awareness.

well S. you can tell them to wash their hands after and before eating. and you can tell them to never touch anything without you're promission

I remember reading an article about nasal drip. (I think it was in The New Yorker.) Someone ran an experiment where they attached some sort of drip to someone's nose that had a dye in it that would show up under ultraviolet light. The person was sent to a cocktail party and told to do everything he could to avoid spreading germs around the room. (Frequent handwashing, tissues, etc.) Well, at the end of the party, they turned on the ultraviolet light and the stuff was absolutely everywhere on absolutely everything.

The lesson is that it is impossible to keep an environment germ free. Completely impossible.

We can work at the problem from the other end, however. Immunity.

In the winter time, I give my son tea made from astragalus bark, which is a major immune booster. I also make buckets of chicken broth and cook it into anything I can...soups, rice, stuffing, etc. I cut way back on milk and other dairy products because they tend to be mucus producing, and mucus is a medium that germs love to grow in. He gets a cold once or twice a year, which is pretty good, I think.

S.,
From one cleanie to another...take the deepest breath possible as I believe you will get feedback about the importance of germs..to let go..etc. I so get you. I have an autoimmune as well and appreciate your verve. With that said, the kids will breathe, they will cough and sneeze and you will get germs. I know.
What has helped us is our kids take off school clothes when they come home (pediatrician recc)...they take age leve vitamin C and other minerals and vitamines, veggie tabs and use their inner arms to cover sneeze and cough..keep the windows open even if chilly..and this is from the heart.
Love and welcome these other children. Enjoy their precious youth, not their icky sticky contamination..get them into projects..give them their own mini playdough ( toss after if you need) guide them...let them make their own cupcake..frost with disposable utentils, but enjoy them. Enjoy yourself.
You can find balance. Also look at what drives this fear..the need for clean..check out Messies.com..it is a spiritual look at the need for order and cleanliness.the goal to to free you, not burden you or overwhelm others. Hang in there...it is an honor to have these children in your lives.
C-

It's been fourth winter I have had easy time with my 3 children and us adults. We found drinks called Inergize,delisious and affective. It is similar to Airbourn, but it is cheapper,532 mg. of powder cost $22.We can testify it prevents us from been sick, but there is a certain but easy method how to take it. You can discover easier live. It is US pattened and has 5 weeks money back quaranty.
I hope you will find good stuff that works.Good luck.
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Hi S.,
You've gotten TONS of feedback, so I'll make this as short and sweet as possible. Yes, you are cleaning too much. Yes, your children need to be exposed to bacteria/viruses etc to build their immune systems. Yes, you need to protect yourself as best you can because of your medical condition. And yes, you definitely sound like you are obsessive compulsive, and my guess is it probably spills over into other areas of your life as well. No wonder you're exhausted....and so no wonder your immune system has issues. Vicious cycle? You bet. I wonder if you would be open to seeing someone with regards to your apparent obsessive compulsive issues and possibly getting some therapy or medication that would help make your life a little simpler. You don't have to live stressed out and exhausted day after day. I've said it before to other mothers, but I'll say it again...as mothers, we need to choose our battles carefully and save our energy for the things that really matter. Take care, and take care of YOURSELF.

Hi, S.,
you have a ton of great responses. I am the opposite of you. I rarely worry or even think about germs, and my two boys (4 years old and 9 months old) almost NEVER get sick. My 9 month old is crawling all over the house and wherever I happen to take him out and about and I rarely wash his hands, unless I can actually see dirt on them. I clean the house, when I feel it is looking dirty, but not every day. I think exposure to a normal amount of germs is healthy and helps their immune systems get stronger. I was just shopping the other day and did not notice my nine month old sucking on the disgusting shopping cart handle until a cashier pointed it out. I never wipe those down, so I was rather horrified by it and thought for sure he would come down with a cold or something. Nothing. No runny nose, no cough, nothing. Super healthy baby. I think that by me not worrying so much about it, they are getting healthy doses of germs, but their bodies are also strong enough to fight it. Listen to the moms that tell you to get outdoors instead of mopping the house once more. You won't regret it. We also all sleep in the same bed and share bedding, but it has not gotten any of us sick. I think your house may be too clean. Your kids may not have strong immune systems due to that fact. I hope you stay well!

Um... I never worried about germs and I am nowhere near a clean freak and my daughter never gets sick. I'm sorry I can't help! C.

All there really is to do is to wash their hands all the time.

I think you are spending too much time and energy cleaning and would do better spending that time outside with the kids getting fresh air and exercise. Getting sick could also be allergies to all the chemicals you are bringing into your home. Try more natural products with less harsh chemicals and see if your family does better. One site to look at is... www.SwitchingStores.info

Wow, you sound like you're outrageously industrious and busy. This may not be the kind of feedback you're looking for, but my son goes to a wonderful woman's house - a place that sounds a lot like yours... lots of kids, lots of toys, lots of germs. She used to be a preschool teacher and has a degree in child development, and great common sense. She decided long ago to just surrender- knowing that there was no way to absolutely safeguard everyone from getting sick. So she lets it go, and in response, her two kids (3 and 5) have been sick once during the last year, even though the other kids sometimes bring stuff in. I think she and her kids just build up immunity by exposing themselves in small amounts- and concentrate on eating healthfully and using good common sense. I suggest you stop killing yourself with all the efforts at prevention... sounds like you deserve the rest!

We take Juice Plus. That is a vitamin that helps the immune system and if yo do get sick, it doesn't last as long. You may want to consider it for yourself. As for the kids. I agree with the other posters, kids need to get sick to boost their immune system.

However, I've been also using this gummy worm that has Vitamin C in it. Two worms equal 100% of the vitamin C you need for the day. I give it to the kids I take care of because I think if they do get sick, their bodies will be able to fight it off better.

I buy them at the health food store.

Wow! So many great responses so I will try not to sound repetitive. First, Moducare is great for AutoImmune diseases. It takes a few weeks to kick in, but when it does you will be amazed. Google it, I'm sure you can read more on it.
I think all your bases are covered. One more thing to remind you of. I see so many people act rude and impatient towards sick children. I've even seen some yell at them to cover their mouths, or to stay away from their children, etc. Just a reminder to anyone who reads this page....be sensitive. This sends the message of rejection and is really unfair. Everyone gets sick. Offer a kleenex, reming them to cover their mouth when they cough, offer to help wash their hands.
S., i'm not suggesting you do any of this. Just reminding everyone after what I have seen and experienced this week.

You will get past this. It will seem like alot, but the childrens immune systems will get stronger, and in a short time the worst will be over.
I do believe in fresh air. Any chance you have let the air blow through the windows. Also, my dad always gave us garlic capsules when bugs were going around,(there were 7 of us kids) I swear to you it makes a big difference.

Hi S.-
Wow! I am impressed at your cleaning abilities! I have just started to discipline myself in that area. My only comments on your situation are these- suggest to the parents of the kids that you watch a multi vitamin for kids- and then be sure they drink plenty of water. If they are sick, don't let them nap with the healthy kids. Keep them separate. As for the toys, put away all the toys you cannot wash, and leave out for play time (especially with other kids) a small amount of toys that can be cleaned without driving you crazy. I am of the school that a little dirt enhances the immune system, and it has worked for me as well as the emergen-c, airborne, and echinacea when I am getting sick. I don't take them unless the season is causing allergies or I feel something comiong on- or a co-worker is yucking their germs all over. Ick. But since you are more susceptible, it is good for you to be extra clean. I wonder if little ones needs a few germs to build up their system or if that is a myth. BUt kids who are sick all the time- that's not good at all. I would suggest the vitamins to the other parents and just try and do your best not to go crazy with the cleaning. It sounds like you are otherwise on top of your game and for that I applaud you.
Hope this helps!
-E. M.

Hi S.,
Did you ever think the reason you are getting sick is because you are over doing it with washing your hands and cleaning, you could be weakening your bodies ability to fight virus and bacteria? Don't get me wrong, I think it's great you are a clean person but its important for kids to be exposed to germs so they can build an immunity to them. Just a thought.
Happy holidays!
B.

Stop Stop Stop. You are exposing your family to toxic chemicals with all the bleach and sanitizers. You are facing more health problems (and couls exacerbate your autoimmunie disease) by doing all that excessive disinfection. Spend your energies (especially since you are so busy) on getting your kids to wash their hands well with soap as soon as they come home. Sanitize, if you must, with hydrogen peroxide (keep it in the dark bottle and just attach a spray- It is non toxic-I spray our toothbrushes with it every week ( good idea to stop germs from spreading withing your family). Your kids will catch germs from school and eventually their immune system will get strong (good diet and sleep are the best immunity builders)enough to keep them relatively healthy. But kids do get sick.
I get sick alot too. Keep washing your hands and keep your hands away from your mouth, eyes, nose. Your house can be crawling with germs but you can't get sick unless it enters via those places. Vitamin C is good too. Keep yourself healthy since you have an immune disease but your kids are bound to get sick. Again, make them wash hands as soon as they get home so they don't spread stuff to you.

Well I'd like to start out by saying that my husband is currently going to school to be a nurse...there are a lot of germs out there everywhere, but you are overdoing it. By being so clean you are wiping away everything and aren't letting your immune system build up so that when you are in public places and have others over to your house, you become more susceptable to sickness. I worked with a women who bleached the heck out of her house and she was totally anal about germs, she was sick at least once or twice a month. Her body had no defenses she was making things worse for herself by being overly clean. I'm a mother of three kids, 10, 5 and 3 1/2 and I ran a daycare for years so I know how you feel. But sometimes you have to stop thinking about the germies and just live life. Good luck, and remember just good ole hand washing will do the trick.
It is hard when your kids are sick, h*** o* you as the mom, but they will survive and it will make them stronger. One of the other moms mentioned how kids are sick several times a year until after 9, I can say that is pretty true, my son who is now 10, this is the first year he hasn't already had a cold and had to miss school. Just hang in there and everything will be o.k. Bleach solution is 10 to 1 you don't need much bleach to do the trick, remember don't over do it!

Well, I didn't manage to get through all of the responses but I had noticed you mentioned you have an autoimmune disease and so I wanted to say something. The first thing is that at first I was concerned with how much you were cleaning, however, after finding out that you have an autoimmune disease I understand better. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis (which is an autoimmune disease) and I'm on immunosuppressants so I understand wanting everything to be clean to avoid being sick. However, I have discovered from having a little one of my own that goes to preschool that it is impossible to keep from getting sick when my little one is constantly bringing home germs from school. He gets colds and I get them 4 times worse (in fact I have one right now). One thing I was wondering is have you talked to the doctor about taking all the things that you are to try to prevent infections? I ask just because I know that with some autoimmune diseases that you have to be careful how much you raise your immune system (like with my RA if I bring up my immune system then it starts to attack my joints). I know that I don't know all the other autoimmune diseases but I just wanted to make sure that you had checked with your doctor (I know that people with RA that is not controlled are actually expected to get sick more often because their immune system is too busy attacking them).

The next thing I wanted to suggest is about the toys. With my son because he had sooooo many toys from all his loving relatives I ended up for a while having two sets of toys. I split the toys in half and half went into storage tubs and went away while the other have stayed out for playing with. This helped us manage toys alot better. Maybe if you did something like this it would make them more managable for you to sanitize the toys. Then you could just switch out the toys each week or everyother week. You can even get the kids involved in switching out the toys. You could make a game of it explaining that this week the kids get to play with this group of toys and then next week the other toys will be all that more special. Then you could make sure the toys are all sanitized before you put them out.

The next thing is that for the toys you can't submerge you can use the clorox wipes on or I know there is a clorox spray that is supposed to be OK to use on any surface (it's like clorox anywhere or somthing like that).

Good luck, remember even if you do everything possible you and your kids are going to get sick and it's important that your kids get sick so that their immune system can build. You may ask your doctor about other ways to help prevent your from getting sick (since it's not as good for you). I know my doctor said that for me the biggest thing is to keep my hands away from my face and to keep the little ones away from my face. I think where I get alot of my illnesses from is my kid kissing me. Make sure to wash and sanitize your hands often and keep the kids hands away from your face and it should help keep you from getting sick.

When my kids were just a little older than yours, I joined a gym, and instantly stopped getting sick all the time. Since then, I've realized a direct correlation between how much regular, vigorous exercise I get, and how often I get sick. I'm home sick right now because I got "too busy" to work out for a couple of weeks. I know it's hard to find the time, but what a difference it makes!

HI S.,
I have a family daycare with up to 10 kids in my home per day. I know exactly what you mean about the germs... but it is all part of it when you have kids and I agree with the other posters that getting sick for kids is building their immune system.

Teach the kids to cough or sneeze into the crook of their elbows instead of hands, and to wipe their own noses when they can. Of course this isn't efficient on a two year old...

My best advice is wash hand wash hands wash hands! We use regular soap and warm water. And to make sure that you are cleaning tables and chairs after the kids are eating.

I also agree with the other posters to stay away from all the bleach and anti-bacterial stuff. I use vinegar and as many green products as I can. Another trick I use is to put washable toys in the dishwasher. I wash nap bedding daily unless I can keep all the pillow cases and bedding separate.

You may be aware of how much you wash your own hand and how much you touch your face throughout the day? Sometimes we have subconscious habits that we do that can bring more germs into our bodies.

Good luck!

I think Amanda has hit the nail on the head. You can be too clean. We are starting to see that the over use of sanitation products is creating super bacteria. Your body is covered with bacteria including the likes of salmonella which is perfectly healthy but when you wipe out the good bacteria all the time the bad ones have more of a chance to take hold. I'm a scientist, and there have been studies in Europe that have shown that children who are exposed to a range of immune challenges are actually healthier. This why Europeans in general see less environmental allergies in their children.

My background is in nutrition. One of the bast ways to defend yourself is to eat well so your body has all the building bloc ks it needs for a healthy immune system. Take vitamin supplements if needs be but better still find the vitamins etc in the natural form i.e. drink OJ rather than taking a vit C pill. The immune system needs protein so be sure you are all getting enough lean protein from varied sources.

Also the more worried you are and rushing around the more worn out you will be and the more at risk of illness. A good sleep and low stress will also do you a lot of rest. Remember that while not ideal, each time your kids get sick they are strengthening their immune system in the long run.

So worry less, sleep more, be a little less clean and eat well and see what happens.

Good Luck,
C.

wow! It sounds like you're doing a lot already. As for the toys that can't be emerged in water, I would use a paper towel and a non-toxic cleaner to clean those toys. also, you could try putting half of the toys away and then switching which toys are out to play with on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. That way there aren't so many and the kids feel like they have "new" toys on a regular basis. You'll be amazed how happy they will be to see a toy that they haven't seen for a week or two. The kids are going to get sick - I don't know if there's anything you can do to keep them from getting sick ever and I really don't see that it's so bad for them. A cold every now and again will help build up their natural immunities.

For the toys, you may be able to spray lightly with Lysol or wipe down with Clorox wet wipes. If there are too many toys for you to keep track of, rotate them. Put 1/2 to 3/4 of the toys away then next week put the current toys away and bring out another set of toys. Each week there will be something different that the kids haven't seen in awhile and not nearly as many toys for you to keep track of.

Hi S.,

For the last 5 years I have taken a whole food supplement called Juice Plus+. I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder after the birth of my son 6 years ago. My sister had just gone to a health talk were a nurse recomended Juice Plus+. She gave me some and I can say without a doubt it made a huge difference in my recovery. My whole family has been on it for 5 years now and my kids pretty much just go to the doctor just for their yearly wellness visits. My illness has been in remission for 5 years now. Juice Plus is just the micronutrition of 17 different fruits and veggies minus the salt, sugar and water. It has been published in peer reviewed medical journals. You should check out the immune studies. www.StudiesonJuicePlus.com
I have finally figured out that what keeps us healthy is a balanced immune system. Please feel free and call me if you have any questions. It is my passion to now help educate families about good health. This is the only product I have found that has solid science behind it and I want to share it with everyone!

Good Luck!!

L.
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First of all you need to relax - you are making yourself crazy and possibly harming the kids. There is some evidence that kids who grow up with other kids and animals have decreased rates of allergies and asthma. The theory goes that we need to use our immune system, especially the young ones. By keeping things too clean their immune system doen't learn how to respond properly and therefore allergies and asthma can occur. The best advice is to wash hands with warm soapy water. Using too much antibacterial cleasers may provide an environemt for super germs to develop. Germs always change in order to survive. If we keep using antibacterial agents for everything the germs will mutate and those agents won't work against them any more. And then what will we use? We are seeing this in the hospitals. Germs that were once confined to hospitals are now in the community requirning us to use stronger and stronger antibiotics - not a good senario. So I suggest relaxing - wash hands, wash the floors, stop washing all the door handles, don't worry so much about the toys. Kids getting sick is NORMAL. Allowing their bodies to fight it is good. It's hard for us watchig them be sick, but it is how nature works. Being so clean is not natural. Human beings have always lived with germs and they are not going away. Good Luck.

I second everything that Annette says. Antibacterial products are BAD BAD BAD!!!!! Just wash hands a lot and don't clean so much. Too many chemicals. Also your immune system needs a workout every now and again to be healthy. So it's good to get sick once in a while.

Hi S.,

It sounds like you're doing more than enough to prevent germs--maybe you're doing too much? After all, some exposure leads to stronger immune systems. Children who get mild colds several times per year will have stronger immune systems as they get older. Not to say it's not miserable when they're sick! Maybe you should talk to your pediatrician about it?

Also, I just wanted to let you know there have been many news stories recently about Airborne, and how it is not effective in preventing or shortening the duration of colds, and that it may lead to a greater risk of osteoperosis in women, among other problems. I say that sadly, because it was my go-to treatment for colds, as well. It is not recommended for children. A normal vitamin supplement approved by your pediatrician is safer. Search the web for more info.

Good luck,
J.

Hello,

I did daycare out of my home with 11 extra kids a day. I started when I was pregnant with my 2nd child and did it for 2 years or so. I kept some of his toys away from the other kids during the time they were there. I also used alot of the Clorox wipes on toys that I didn't soak or spray down. The other thing I think people forget to do in there homes is to wipe down door knobs, the t.v. remote, the phone and cabinet door handles. Little hands get everywhere and then we go behind and touch some of the same things without knowing it. Its o.k for some germs, it is better for us but I get wanting to keep it to a minimum. Good Luck,

J., mom of 16yo girl, 7yo boy and happily married

It sounds to me like your problem is being TOO clean. You've kepts your children away from being exposed to little daily germs, therefore their immune systems have not matured and are not used to having to fight off germs. A cold now and then will HELP them stay healthier in the long run. For your childrens' sake, please put away the bleach and let their immune systems learn to work the way it's supposed to!

S.,
Be VERY careful with the hand sanitizer. And not just because of too many anti-bacterial products.

The hand sanitizers are all alcohol based. It is like pouring rubbing alcohol on your hands every time you use it.

Last Winter I used hand sanitizer many, many times a day when my two girls were sick (thinking I was being really smart and anti-germ.) What actually happened is that the constant exposure to the alcohol-based gel burned the skin on my hands.

Every bit of skin on my hands peeled, and it was very painful (like peeling after a sun burn.) The new skin was also very tender for a few days. Think what this could do to delicate childrens' skin...

****
One thing you can do with battery operated toys is get a spray bottle and mix up a mild bleach solution in it. Lightly spray then wipe those toys that cannot be submerged. Just don't add too much bleach, or you will start bleaching the toys. Some bleach bottles (or their web sites) even have specific directions for how much to mix when cleaning toys. Either mark the bottle "bleach" and lock it up, or empty it after each use (recommended).

Good luck!
K.

S., Hmmm, where to begin... First, you are going to drive yourself crazy trying to "wash" away all of the germs. Sure we do transfer germs to all of the places you mentioned and regular hand washing is a way to prevent sickness, but you can't control two other places we pick up virus germs--the air and anywhere else your family goes during the day. In fact the it is probably likely that the preschooler is picking up stuff at preschool and bringing it home.

Next, as mentioned previously these children are building their immune systems. They are expected to get sick and will several times during the year until they are around 9 years old, then they should only get sick two to three times during the cold and flu season.

Finally, you should be sanitizing the toys daily. In preschools like Head Start this is done during nap-time. The toys are dumped into tubs with a 20% bleach solution to be rinsed and then layed out to air dry. In some Montessori classrooms the "jobs" are sanitized in this manner with the help of the children. Try to eliminate most of the battery operated toys. Also, many toys can go into the dishwasher with little damage.

S.,

It sounds like you have all your bases covered, and that's a good thing. My only recommendation would be to spray the toys daily with a disinfectant. Whenever I host playdates, I spray my daughter's toys and virtually entire room with Clorox anywhere spray. It is safe for use around kids and pets. I hope this tidbit helps.

- T.

HI S., I work for a wellness company that has some products that i believe you could benefit from. One product I use is called Sol-U-Guard Botanical, it kills 99.99% of germs , including, salmoelaa, staph, ecoli, strep, & HIV. It is approved by the EPA for use in hopsitals and daycares.I use it on all my kids toys, potty chair, booster chair, etc. WE also have vitamins that are better than whats on the market, and i know people that take them and do not get the regular sicknesses that people are getting everyday. I see that you are a busy mom, when you have time, i would be happy to share the info with you, Morning, noon, or night :) Let me know, you can email me at ____@____.com or call me ###-###-####.
MAKE IT A GREAT DAY!

S. Moynihan
Proud Member of The Stayin Home & Lovin It! Team
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Enhancing the lives of those we touch by helping people reach their goals

I see a lot of responses already and don't have time to really read them, so these answers may be redundant. First off, get rid of most of your anti-bacterial soaps! Now they are finding those tend to just make the germs stronger, because germs will mutate to get around such things. Use regular soaps, and if you can get one of the more environmentally safe brands, that's even better. I personally use products I purchase from melaleuca.com in my home childcare, but there are several other companies that sell environmentally safe products. I have avoided Clorox for a few years because I was noticing people .. including myself having problems from it.
As far as the toys are concerned, I also have a lot of toys and what I'm finding is that I need to sort them out, make up categories of toys, and find a place (or places) to store most of them. Then I'm going to bring out a few from each category once a week .. and retire the ones that were out to the storage area for a while. I will clean the toys as I retire them to storage, and just check to be sure they don't need an additional wipe off when I bring them back out the next time. This will serve two purposes.. it will put less out to have to fight with the children to pick up, and it will give me an easier schedule for cleaning them. Once a week should do it for most toys. The things that go into the mouth a lot should be taken when you see them in a mouth and wiped off immediately anyway.
Second, you asked about the battery operated toys. Simply dip a cloth or paper towel into whatever solution you choose and wipe the toy. It doesn't take soaking to get the germs off. Small things such as Duplo Blocks and other building toys that can safely be dunked are usually easier to do that way, and when possible I like to spread clean bath towels out on a table (preferably outside on my patio) and put the toys on them to let them air dry. Another way to clean toys is to put them into a mesh laundry type bag an run them through a cycle in the dishwasher. Be sure the items can take the heat if you do that. Or you could do the same thing but run them through the washing machine. By doing that you'd have a larger choice of water temperatures.
One more thing is that most stuffed animals and dolls can now be run through a washing machine cycle to clean them. Check them carefully before doing it but it can be a wonderful time-saver.

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It is not about finding antibacterial agents... the real issue is keeping the immun system functioning up to its full capacity!!! Try giving colostrum, vitamin, minerals and probiotics!!! That will be the only defence between your children and the bacterias, viruses and fungus!!!

P.S. Try using environmental save and non toxic cleaners!!!

Love, G.. :0)
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The only thing I can say is maybe to relax on all the antibacterial stuff. I am a clean freak, but do use mostly green products. The only time that I use antibacterial wipes is when someone comes down with the flu. If you do some research on this kind of stuff you will find out that by using all those antibacterial things, you are doing more harm than good. You are not only killing the bad bugs, but also the good bugs that naturally help our bodies fend off the bad stuff. It is also the reason that when kids are getting sick now, instead of them responding to a mild antibiotic, their system is resistant to it and thus they end up needing a stronger antibiotic. A lot of time by having such a "clean" home, when the children are exposed to anything they will get sick. We often think we are doing best for our kids in this area, but really we are not. As for toys, just put away the battery operated ones that cannot be cleaned. Take them out only when your kids are home. I would also say to not all sleep in the same bed. Maybe for the other kids they can sleep on a mat on the floor or some sort of sleeping bag. Getting sick is just part of life. If we take care of ourselves, eat well, take the right vitamins and get enough rest we will be ok. I have 2 daughters (11,8) in school and they rarely get sick. I also have 3 year old twins who are in a lot of contact with other children, and their immune system is very strong as well. Hope some of this helps.

Hi S.,

I'm adding another warning to the previous ones - its not exactly what you asked for so sorry about that. I belong to Kaiser and they have warned their members about using too much airborne and Emergen-C. If these products are taken as often as the directions say (I think it is every 4 hours), you can overdose on something (vitamin A, perhaps?) I don't remember the exact warning, but basically don't take it as often as the package says because it can damage your liver.

I wouldn't worry about your children getting sick. It strengthens their immune systems. It won't always be this bad. Good luck in taking care of yourself though. You are the one who needs to stay healthy through all of this.