Infection control is important in pediatric home care. It ensures that children with medical needs stay safe and healthy at home. After all, your child can have a compromised immune system or may be undergoing medical treatments that increase their vulnerability to infections. So, knowing the best practices medical professionals implement to control infections is important.
To help keep your home safe, below are valuable tips and strategies to enhance your child’s protection.
Understanding Infection Risks in Pediatric Home Care
The first step to preventing infections in pediatric home care is to know their sources. The most common viral and bacterial infections that affect children include:
- Skin infections. Cuts or scratches on children’s skin can infect them with conditions like impetigo, cellulitis, and abscesses.
- Throat infections. Bacterial pneumonia and bronchitis are infections that bacteria can cause in children’s lungs and airways. These infections could lead to cough, fever, and difficulty breathing.
- Colds. Caused by various viruses, which manifest into symptoms like runny nose, sore throat, and cough.
- Influenza (flu). This type of infection is caused by a virus that can spread through respiratory droplets. It’s characterized by high fever, body aches, cough, and fatigue.
Understanding these infection risks helps you and your child’s caregivers take the appropriate precautions to protect your child’s health and effectively manage potential threats.
Basic Infection Control Practices
Below are the best practices that medical providers implement to prevent infections during pediatric home support:
Hand Hygiene
Handwashing is one of the most effective methods for preventing infections in pediatric patients. It reduces organism transmission, which can help protect them against conditions like diarrhea and respiratory illnesses.
It’s advised that you wash your hands according to the following situations:
- Before, during, and after food preparation
- After eating
- When arriving back home after going outside
- After caring for or playing with pets
- Before and after administering medication
- Before and after handling medical equipment
Hand washing is most effective when you scrub your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. To enhance protection, you can also apply hand sanitizer after hand washing. It’s also a good alternative if you don’t have access to soap and water, as long as the hand sanitizer contains at least 60% alcohol.
Cleaning and Disinfection
Cleaning and disinfection are important methods to implement to prevent infection in pediatric home support. Surfaces that need frequent cleaning include:
- High-touch surfaces (ex. door knobs, light switches, countertops, etc.)
- Personal items (ex. pacifiers, teething rings, etc.)
- Toys
For high-touch surfaces, use disinfectant wipes or a disinfecting solution and a paper towel to clean. To prevent cross-contamination, use separate cleaning materials for surfaces that come in contact with food (e.g., countertops).
For toys and personal items, wash them in the dishwasher if they’re dishwasher-safe. Otherwise, use soap and water for cleaning. Afterward, ensure each item is thoroughly dried before returning it for your child’s use.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Wearing proper personal protective equipment (PPE) can also help prevent infections during home nursing care. PPE protects you and your child’s nurses from exposure to body fluids and potentially infectious materials.
Examples of PPEs include:
- Gowns
- Gloves
- Masks
- Googles
To prevent contamination, store unused PPE in a clean, dry area. It’s also a good idea to keep them in their original containers until you need them.
Managing and Preventing Infections
Now that you’re aware of the best practices for preventing infection at home, here are steps you can take to manage and prevent its risks:
Monitoring Health
Knowing how to detect the early signs of infection can significantly reduce its risks. That said, it’s a good idea to develop and maintain a system of identifying symptoms during pediatric home care.
Some signs of infections you can watch out for include:
- Fever
- Rash
- Cough
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Difficulty breathing
Regular visits to your child’s doctor can also help monitor their health and catch any potential infections.
Medication and Treatment
If your healthcare provider detects symptoms, they will prescribe your child antibiotics for bacterial infections and antivirals for viral infections. Make sure to use the medication as prescribed by your doctor to ensure its effectiveness and reduce the risk of resistance.
It’s also best to do regular follow-ups with pediatric health services. This way, they can evaluate the medication’s effectiveness and adjust your child’s treatment plan if needed. Also, don’t forget to watch out for any side effects of the medication. If you spot some, report them to your child’s doctor immediately.
Preventive Measures
Vaccines are a safe and effective method for building your child’s immunity against various serious diseases. To reduce the risk of infections, make sure your child’s immunizations are up-to-date. Ensure they get routine vaccines for measles, mumps, rubella, and influenza.
Depending on your child’s condition, they may also need additional vaccines because of underlying health conditions. If this is the case, it’s best to consult their doctor for vaccination recommendations.
Choose Nursing Evolutions for Compassionate Home Care
Knowing how to control infections is an important aspect of pediatric home care. It helps protect your child from having their condition from exacerbating. That said, implementing strategies and best practices, such as proper hand hygiene and cleaning, are effective methods for keeping your home safe.
To ensure your medically fragile child’s safety and protection, consider talking with your child’s physician about a trusted pediatric care service like Nursing Evolutions. We provide outstanding, patient-centered nursing care based on literature-based practices. For more information, contact us today!
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the answers to your frequently asked questions to help you learn more about pediatric at-home care:
What are the situations in which home care commonly is used for children?
Pediatric home care is most common for children with chronic or severe conditions, such as cardiac disease, complications from prematurity, and neurodegenerative diseases.
What is the function of home care?
Pediatric at-home care aims to support children with medical needs, disabilities, or chronic conditions while allowing them to remain in a familiar and comfortable environment.
How to care for pediatric patients?
Caring for pediatric patients involves closely monitoring their medical needs, administering medication, and providing personalized therapies. It also ensures their comfort and emotional well-being are in good hands. It also includes ongoing communication with medical providers to adapt health care plans.