Pre-school in MD - Do They Use Hand Sanitizer in addition to washing with soap and water

[Anonymous]

Trying to figure out what the rule is in MD pre-schools. Are they allowed to have kids use hand sanitizer to supplement hand cleaning? We've heard that they aren't allowed to and it doesn't sound right. What happens at your pre-school in Montgomery County?

[Anonymous]

I work at a MoCo preschool which has always passed county inspections. We mainly have the children wash with soap and water but we use hand sanitizer if the child has wiped their nose, had hands down their pants, etc. It is quicker and causes less disruption to class.

[Anonymous]

Ours does not allow hand sanitizer. The kids use soap and water only.

[Anonymous]

Interesting. Our allows hand sanitizer before meals.

Honestly, I wish they wouldn't. I'd much prefer they just did hand washing. I hate the crap that's in hand sanitizer.

[Anonymous]

Do you have any idea how much time would be lost if hands were washed every time? We have 21 kids in my preschool class and having each and every one of them wash their hands after every trip to the bathroom, before breakfast, snack, lunch and afternoon snack and any other time their hands got dirty (sneeze, picking nose, hand in pants, painting/crafts) would mean we would literally only have time to wash hands and not do much else.

[Anonymous]

Hand Sanitizer is dangerous in a preschool classroom. If even a small amount gets on the floor, the kids could slip. Don't believe me? Put some on your kitchen floor. It makes the floor incredibly slick.

[Anonymous]

So does soap and water PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So does soap and water PP.

Yes, but the soap and water should mostly be in the bathroom. At DC's preschool, the kids know the routine. Wash hands, wipe hands dry. So, there shouldn't be soapy water all over the classroom floor. What did people do before hand sanitizer? They used soap and water.

[Anonymous]

Some people can't handle the smell and its not that healthy. Soap and water is recommended and that's what they do at ours.

[Anonymous]

At our school, the kids use the sinks in the bathrooms (the floor is soaking when they are done) as well as the sink in the classroom (equally soaked).

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure what preschools in Mo Co you are asking about, OP. Public Montgomery County preschools like the PEP program and Headstart? Or private preschools which would set their own rules? The notion that they are not "allowed" to use hand sanitizer? Are you talking about a health code?

My daughter was in the PEP program and both soap and water and hand sanitizer were in use. As a pp pointed out, it depended on the circumstances. When the children arrived for the day, hands and faces were washed at the sink. Also done throughout the day. However, in the PEP program many children have orthopedic problems and other disabilities and bringing them back and forth to the sink is not always practical. Thus, hand sanitizer.

[Anonymous]

I'm the poster. I am asking whether there is a licensing issue that would prohibit the distribution of hand sanititzers. That's what the school is saying. We looked at the regulations and they don't say that.

I wonder why my post was moved from "General Parenting" to pre-school? I wanted to get more views. Could it get moved back please? Thanks.

[Anonymous]

at guiding star they use handsanitizer with kids as young as in the early 20-months range and i don't think the kids use it properly. lots of sicknesses recently, including a hand, foot, mouth outbreak

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So does soap and water PP.

Yes, but the soap and water should mostly be in the bathroom. At DC's preschool, the kids know the routine. Wash hands, wipe hands dry. So, there shouldn't be soapy water all over the classroom floor. What did people do before hand sanitizer? They used soap and water.

And kids in classrooms with hand sanitizer know the routine for that too.