Don't Let Flies Make your Child Ill
Body Odor In Young ChildrenAs we all know, a toddler cannot be left alone for a second during their waking hours. They will inspect everything they see and stick their fingers into every gap they can find, open cupboards and drawers and even drink and eat anything that happens to be around. Even when they are strapped into their high chair and eating they can't be left alone because of the risk, however, slight, of choking. Just perhaps, though, when the food has been cleared away and there is nothing in the child's reach whilst he or she is safely in their high chair, you can very quickly go into the kitchen to fetch a wipe for their mucky face and hands.
Just wait on, though. While your back is turned there is another menace that can do harm to your child. While he or she is sitting at their unwiped high chair, with their unwiped face and hands, there may be a potentially very potent health hazard in the room with them. Somewhere sat upside-down on the ceiling, or perched on a table or chair may be a housefly. If the dining area plates and cutlery have been cleared away the only food source may be the food remnants around your boy or girl's face or hands, and the housefly will follow its nose (actually they smell using hairs on their feet). If the only food source aroma is coming from your child, then that is where they will be heading.
Flies tend to land on animal droppings and garbage. That is the source of their food. You can say that most things that are pungent and that have some food or animal derivation will be like a beacon to a resident or passing housefly. If a room has been cleared of all sources of these smells, apart from the remnants still on your child, then their sensors are good enough to pick this smell up. A fly's body - and especially their feet - will carry many thousands of germs from landing on their previous food source. As soon as they land on your child, some of these germs will almost certainly be transferred to them. Children have a habit of playing with whatever is in front of them and of putting their fingers in their mouth. If you add the fly with the fact that your child has only one thing to play with - unwanted food - then, after the fly has landed on the child or the food, there is a fair chance that they will have transferred nasty germs into their mouth.
A few germs - even the nasty ones carried by houseflies - will, in many cases, do your child no harm at all. If anything, it may build up their resistance. The problem with young children, though, is that they have little resistance at such a young age and it is a fine line between their need to build up this resistance to the chance of becoming ill. It is obvious that your child needs no help is building resistance to germs. They will do this over time quite naturally. So, knowing where a fly is likely to have been, it is much more desirable to protect them from germs where possible.
So what damage can a housefly do to a toddler? Well, first off, some of you may be sighing about yet another scare story; yet another precaution hard pressed parents are being forced to take. Now, let me reassure you: it is unlikely that your child will suffer from any major illness after contact with a
housefly. These are some of the diseases that are often spread by flies:
Shigellosis: This ranges from a minor tummy ache to bloody diarrhoea. In very rare cases shigellosis can result in a young child having a seizure. It cannot be emphasised enough that the chances of a seizure occurring are extremely rare.
Typhoid Fever: Loss of appetite, high temperature, headache, tummy ache and occasionally a skin rash. This must be treated, otherwise it will progress into serious illness and even death
Cholera: Watery diarrhoea, sunken eyes and sunken fontanelles (the soft spot on the head), dry mouth, tummy ache, nausea and usually vomiting. Serious cases can lead to death, so treatment is vital. The best treatment is plenty of fresh water, although a visit to the doctor is advised.
Escherichia coli: Diarrhoea. In most cases Escherichia coli will pass though the body with no detectable affects. Diarrhoea, if it occurs, can range from slight to severe. There is a tiny chance of kidney failure in young children
At the risk of being boring, I must repeat that most children will suffer a tummy ache, or mild diarrhoea at worst if they are affected at all. The more extreme reactions above are very rare.
You may think that you will now need to stand over your child 24 hours a day with a fly swat in hand. No. Firstly, make sure your child and your house are clean and that there is no build up of open garbage in or near to the house. As you cannot watch over your child for every second, you will benefit from installing fly traps. They will dispose of the houseflies, giving you peace of mind and protecting your child. Arkay Hygiene sells a wide range of Fly Traps and Insectocutors. You can see more information below.
Most of us have been there, in the middle of the night, feeling helpless, when their child has a tummy ache and diarrhoea. Fly traps are another weapon in your armoury against this possibility.
Vernon Stent is the content writer for Fly-Kill. Here you can see their fly traps and Insectocutors