That cute teddy bear can cause food poisoning in children!

That cute teddy bear can cause food poisoning in children!

A research conducted by scientists associated with hygiene products giant Dettol, came up with findings that could greatly disturb parents of young children. The study, as published by the Plymouth Herald, UK, states that as many as 8 out of 10 kids carried around soft toys that were contaminated with bacteria and bugs usually present in faeces.

Of all the teddy bears tested as part of the research, about 80% of them were found to be infected with staphylococcus spp, a pathogen linked with food poisoning. The findings also stated that 90% of kids regularly drop their teddy bears all around and about three-fourths of them are never washed. And all these can cause food poisoning in children.

Little cuddly bears and soft toys tagged along by little kids are seldom washed or cleaned. This is usually because they are usually inconvenient to do so. But when it comes to maintaining basic hygiene for kids, parents must primarily cleanse toys and other objects used most often by children as they are hothouses of disease-causing bacteria.

Here's how you can maintain baby toy hygiene:

• Always wash your child's soft toys every three days if they are always handled or every fortnightly if played with occasionally.
• Use a mild anti-bacterial cleansing agent to wash the toys. Dry them in a hot dryer or sun-dry them.
• Wash your child's soft toys immediately after he recovers from an illness or drops in on a dusty surface.
• Try to discourage your child from mouthing the toy
• Wash the soft toys separately to avoid contamination from other clothes
• Wipe plastic toys with disinfectant wipes regularly
• Avoid keeping soft toys near infants

Disease-causing germs could be lurking around in places where we least expect them. Maintain basic hygiene to keep your child healthy and happy.