TAKING OUR GRANDCHILDREN TO THE DOCTOR

Many seniors have a new job in their retirement: child care. And that might mean taking your grandkids to see the doctor. 

It makes sense that doctor’s offices and hospitals are hot spots for germs, but what can you do?

The American Academy of Pediatrics recently issued a policy statement that aims to minimize the spread of germs in waiting rooms and exam rooms. 

Much of what this policy recommends goes back to the essentials of preventing infections, like the importance of hand hygiene and immunizations. But there is specific advice for your experience in the waiting room.

In considering a pediatrician, you might want to ask how your pediatrician handles children who have not been immunized and whether they are kept out of the waiting room when they are sick.

Bring along a toy. Those toys in the waiting room have been handled by an unknown number of kids who may be infected so, even if they are disinfected daily it’s better to be safe and to pack your own.  If your grandkid wants to play with the toys in the office, wipe the thing with the alcohol-based sanitizer that should be available.

When you make an appointment, be sure to mention if your child is infected -- coughing, sneezing, itching and so on -- which indicates that the child should not spend time in the waiting room. If your child is prone to infections, you might also want to consider asking the office to call you when it is your child’s turn to be seen while you wait outside. Maybe take a walk or wait in the car with your kid and a book. Ask for a specific time when your kid will be seen.

It all comes down to sanitation. Wash your hands often and use the alcohol based sanitizer in the doctor’s office. Many people do not seem to know about “cough [and sneezing!] etiquette.” Cover your mouth, cough into your elbow rather than your hand … and sanitize your hand after wiping your nose or dealing with a sneeze. Cough etiquette refers equally to you, your child and their child!

Even before reaching the doctor’s office protect your grandchild by making certain that her immunizations are up to date. It is important for your grandchild to get a flu shot as soon as it is available so that she or he can develop full immunity before there is a lot of flu going around in the air.

Remember also that we seniors need to keep up our own immunizations. Get that flu shot! It will probably be free to you at the local pharmacy.