When you take your baby to the doctor for a sick or a well visit, you are probably very conscious of what you or your baby might touch, and the importance of washing your hands when you are in a germ-laden environment. You may even keep a close eye on your doctor or nurse to make sure that she or he washes hands before coming in the room and touching your baby. But there is news that says that doctor’s pagers may be hazardous to your baby’s health.
Many health care workers get in to the habit of touching a pager or turning it off if it goes off while providing patient care to your baby. The problem is that these pagers have been shown to harbor disease-causing viruses and harmful bacteria.
In a study conducted about a year and a half ago, researchers pressed 100 pagers from doctors, residents and other healthcare workers onto culture plates. These are plates that allow a surface and time for germs to grow and be observed. All of the plates grew bacteria, and some of the plates even grew pathogenic bacteria. That is, pathogenic bacteria is bacteria that can cause serious illnesses or infections, such as pneumonia. Only eight of all of the healthcare workers that used the pagers said that they ever cleaned them.
The best way to combat this danger is for the doctors, nurses and other workers to wash their hands after touching the pagers. Be on the look out for this and don’t be afraid to remind your doctor or nurse to wash his or her hands after touching a pager. These people want your baby to be healthy and shouldn’t get offended by a gentle reminder. You can always blame the request on being an overprotective parent, if you are embarrassed.
The study was originally reported in the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Journal.
Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. Starting June 1st, don’t miss her articles in the Baby Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.
Related Articles: