How to Prevent the Spread of Illness in a Family

If one person in a family gets sick, it seems the whole family gets sick. Illness can be prevented from passing from one family member to the next by following a few simple steps.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Attempt to quarantine the sick family member. By keeping the sick child in his room, you can keep the germs away from the other members of the household and prevent the spread of illness.
2. Avoid using the same bathroom as the sick family member. Many houses these days have 2 or more bathrooms, so if you are lucky enough to live in a house that has more than one bathroom, refrain from using the same facilities as the vomiting child.
3. Washing hands thoroughly is extremely important in preventing the spread of illness in families. Hands should be washed up to the elbows with soap and warm water to help prevent the spread of germs.
4. Use a germ killing spray such as Lysol on household surfaces and in the air to prevent the spread of illness.
5. Teach children to cover their nose or mouth when coughing or sneezing to prevent the spread of germs.

Tips & Warnings

• Wash items that come in contact with the sick family member in hot, not warm or cold, water in order to kill germs.
• Place a wastebasket with a removable liner near the sick childs bed to for used tissues, or possibly even vomit.