Already a member? Sign in
What - Inspire is a place where you can connect with people who share your health concerns and find information and advice in groups sponsored by organizations you know and trust.
Why - As a member you can use Inspire to let friends and family know how you're doing, contact others who share your health concerns, receive personalized updates and information about participating in surveys and clinical trials, and more.
How - Joining Inspire is completely free and usually takes less than a minute. Join now!
Hi everyone I am planing to stay at home for the entire RSV season.
I know staying at home only is not enough. I have to be more careful specially when my DH is health worker ( his work is to go to hosp to hosp). so i want to be prepare in advance.
How to manage and clean the stuff, carpet, furniture less germy? any spl cleaners????
My son had RSV at 7 weeks and we spent 10 days at Children's Hospital here in Dallas. The nurses there told me that whenever returned to the house from the grocery, church, etc I needed to shower and throw those clothes immediately in the wash. If you don't have time for a full shower, wash your hands, arms, and face and then change clothes.
I never took my son out but RSV walked in the door of our house courtsey of my daughter. My doctor described RSV as a cold gone crazy.
This year since all the H1N1 business, my husband bathes the children as soon as they come home and they put on clean clothes. I am stuck in the hospital on bedrest but the germs are creeping in here too. I was sick for 8 days with a chest infection.
Please let me know if you hear of any good tips. I'll be checking back on this post. I am terrified about RSV and H1N1, both for the children I have at home, and the ones that are on the way.
Good luck,
Lee
We use a bottle of bleach and water (spray bottle) to disinfect on a daily / regular basis - toys, remotes, keys, door knobs, refrigerator handle, light switches, etc. The ratio is 1 quart water : 1 tablespoon bleach. I know that some people are not a fan of bleach, but we find it to be easy, effective, and economical. The solution needs to be made daily and sit for 2 minutes on the surface. Like I said we used on a regular / daily basis - daily if we have company (ie our PT or a delivery). For example, if we get a package delivered and the mailperson touches the door, it gets cleaned. DS does not touch stuff like the package, mail, etc - so germy. DS is almost 19 / 16 months (so he is very curious as to all of this stuff though) We are in lockdown with our only visitors being PT / Teacher and grandparents.
Other things that I think help:
-Wash hands frequently, hand sanitizer when out (I keep it in the adult beverage compartment of the stroller)
-DS gets about 8 ounces of BM daily (mixed with Pediasure)
-DS will get the Flu, H1NI vaccines
-Laundering of clothes, showering. DH flies weekly and is in and out of Dr.'s clinics frequently - so he always showers and changes before touching son.
-Fresh air daily
-When DS has a Dr. appointment I put him in a carrier (we have the Lille Baby) and put his stuff in the stroller. I feel he is more protected and less likely to touch / or get touched by strangers, stuff, etc when he is on me. I also disinfect the high chair at feeding clinic with my own solution.
It seem like we are crazy, but DS has only had one ear infection since coming home from the hospital (June 30, 2008) and it was 3 days after being at Feeding Clinic. Fortunately it resolved easily with one course of meds.
DS has CLD and was on oxygen fully until late Spring 09 and evenings until July 09. We figure that some people / even medical professionals think we are going overboard, but it is us, not them that will be dealing with a sick son (ie up all night, worried if he'll need to go back on oxygen, or back in the hospital, etc).
HTH
My son has lung issues so I go the green way to clean and use vinager. I joined a great group on cafemom called homemade goodness that was very helpful. My doctor agreed that it is a great and safe way to clean and kill germs. Plus its cheap. You can also look up green was to clean or go to a vinager web page. There is a lot of ways to use it and the smell doesn't stay.
I use the Green stuff also from windex or clorox or something. I also change my clothes everytime we get back from somewhere i don't throw it in the laundry (because we live at my parents and i don't want wash our stuff with theirs) and i wash my hands and wipe Hope down everytime. I am only going to the store when needed and will most likely let Hope stay in the car with my mom so she doesn't have to go in. But its hard but the thing you have to say is IF something happens you have to remain calm or you will freak your self out ( we all know we won't be able to but that helps me) WISH EVERY FAMILY THE BEST THE SEASON we all need it. This is my first winter with my daughter and i am terrified.
Two words: Clorox Wipes.
I love 'em! Or the Lysol Wipes, whatever is on sale. I wipe down everything, particularly the often-handled things mentioned (remotes, phones, keys, etc). New books and toys get wiped down, too, even if they were in a package. If you want to disinfect stuffed animals or other hard to wipe things, you can put them in a freezer overnight, and the cold will kill the germs. I also go through ridiculous amounts of hand sanitizer and keep it in the adult cupholder in the stroller.
If you're going to use things like Clorox wipes, make sure you read the directions. Many of those products need the item to be left wet TEN MINUTES for it to disinfect. Also, keep in mind that those cleaning products will likely end up in your child's mouth. I have never done all the hand sanitizer, cleaning, disinfecting, etc. Once we were able to stay home most of the time, my boys have not been sick once. I really suggest lots of handwashing and showers and clean clothes after coming home. Also, there is no need for antibacterial soaps. They need to be in contact with bacteria as long as two HOURS to work (who washes their hands that long?). Apparently studies have shown they do no good and likely do bad. I recently posted a link to an article on this.
We just used common sense our first RSV season. My girls were 5 weeks old (35 weeks gestation) when we brought them home in March, in chicago. We stayed home until summer. We had very very few visitors, and when we did, they had to scrub down (like PP say.) We used hand sanitizer a lot, and tried to generally keep house as clean as possible. After their first summer and once 2nd RSV season started, they were 9 months old, much stronger, and about 17 pounds. I wasn't nearly as restrictive with visitors, but still made everyone wash hands, and didn't allow sick people near them (still don't.) They got 2 colds last season, and got through them no problem. Now they're 20 months, and I think I'll be basically treating them like regular kids this season, but using precaution as I think any parent would, with either preemie or FT baby, especially with all this flu crap going around! But I no longer clean everything that comes in the house, etc. I guess I think at this point, some day-to-day exposure to some stuff is ok and normal. I think you just have to use common sense and your baby will be fine. Good luck to all of you with little ones, it's tough that first season, and very confining, but spring will be here before you know it!
I agree with PP about washing hands, face, arms, showering after being around groups of people. I did the same thing for my DD's 1st two winters after coming home from the NICU. Also you may already do this but take your shoes off at the door so you don't track in germs and grime to the carpet. We made that a rule for every visitor also. I know this one may be a hard one but in the winter we do lots of hugs with DD but really try to avoid kisses anywhere near the faces or hands. We always give kisses on her head so we don't pass along any unsuspecting germs to her. I also like the vinger cleaning spray you make yourself. The shower thing seems like a pain but I think it really worked. Good luck!!
Thanks everyone!!! for the suggestions.
Add to the discussion