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Nathalie Thibault's bachelor's degree in Microbiology and master's degree in Immunology make her a germ and immune system specialist. Since the birth of her two daughters, she has been particularly interested in the infections which affect children who attend daycare. She is a teacher, speaker, and author. The specialized documents and courses she conceives help those involved in early childhood outsmart germs. She writes for a magazine called La Culbute and the mamanpourlavie.com website.

One, two, three... Blow your nose!

The consequences of most upper respiratory tract infections are usually harmless. However, a child presenting repeated infections can be subjected to certain problems which should not be overseen. Repeated infections can have serious consequences on a child's learning and development in many ways:

If his breathing is difficult, his sleep is difficult too. The child is tired and is more likely to contract other infections.
His growth. A child who is frequently sick will constantly have a stuffy nose. He will not taste anything and therefore have very little appetite.
Frequent ear infections as a result of colds can affect the quality of the child's hearing and sometimes, his language development.
Frequent infections in a child also affect the other members of his family and immediate entourage (you!). The child is a constant germ reservoir.

Daycare personnel and parents must understand the importance of teaching children to blow their nose on their own at a very young age. This is necessary for health reasons and also for children to acquire autonomy in regards to hygiene.

A child blowing his nose alone is an important act:

For hygiene reasons, it is important to learn to do so as early as possible.
To reduce the quantity of secretions daycare personnel manipulate as much as possible!
An important number of germs are transmitted through nasopharyngeal secretions.
A clean nose greatly reduces the risk of ear infections in children.

Nasal secretions

Every day, glands secrete 1 litre of sticky mucus which destroys bacteria and the dust particles which were imprisoned in the mucus. This mucus travels towards the throat where it will be swallowed and digested. Mucus acts as a "cleansing soap" for the nose. This is why it must consistently and constantly be eliminated daily. In fact, mucus must be ejected from our body for:

Air to circulate well and for our sense of smell and sense of taste to function.
The mucus to succeed its cleaning job.
The avoidance of a new breeding ground for infections.
In the case of a daycare: the reduction of the dissemination of germs at the source.

Our respiratory tract can be the host of several germs. Some will cause light problems while others can cause much more serious infections.

That is why it is important to be aware of the "infectious potential" of nasal secretions and not trivialize this aspect for the health of children as well as your own.

It is unnecessary to wear gloves to blow children's noses! We mustn't panic. Yet, we must remain aware of the phenomenon since we don't know which germs children's nasal secretions are carrying!

Nasal secretions can, at times, carry the following germs:

Rhinoviruses which cause symptoms associated with colds.
Pneumococcus, bacteria which cause ear infections, pneumonia, septicaemia, and meningitis can be found in the normal flora of the upper respiratory tract of an important proportion of children who attend daycare.
Haemophilus influenza type B and meningococcus which can cause serious complications such as septicaemia or meningitis.
Group A streptococcus which causes impetigo, streptococcal pharyngitis, and scarlet fever. This same bacteria causes necrotizing fasciitis also known as flesh-eating disease!
Germs from whooping cough, bronchial infections, spasmodic croup, fifth disease (erythema infectiosum), coxsakie (virus causing symptoms referred to as hand, foot, and mouth disease), pharyngitis, and viral pneumonia.

The importance of blowing our nose

With all the germs which can be present in mucus, it is easy to understand the importance of blowing our nose and for children to learn to blow their nose as early as possible. This is why blowing our nose is considered a hygienic act we must not neglect on a daily basis. The efforts you will put into it will have a positive effect! So, grab a tissue everyone! 1, 2, 3... Blow your nose!

This text appeared in the La Culbute magazine, 2007

Nathalie Thibault

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