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(HealthNewsDigest.com)-In the battle to banish germs, many parents are looking for an alternative to alcohol-based hand sanitizers. One reason is that some schools have banned these sanitizers from classrooms as they can pose a serious poisoning risk to children if accidentally consumed.
Not only do today’s most common hand sanitizers consist of up to 70 percent ethyl alcohol, a higher alcohol percentage than many hard liquors, but The Journal of School Nursing also stated that alcohol-based hand sanitizers are undesirable in schools as they can present a safety hazard to children because they are flammable and irritating to eyes and open wounds.
In response to these concerns, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently updated its 2009 H1N1 flu recommendations to say, “If soap and water are not available and alcohol-based products are not allowed, other hand sanitizers that do not contain alcohol may be useful.”
“As a parent and doctor, I encourage my family and patients to safely protect themselves during cold and flu season,” said Dr. Scott Prose of Chicago. “After experiencing years of dry, cracked, painful hands and concerns over alcohol-based products, I exclusively use alcohol-free hand sanitizers in my practice to fight germs without the risks associated with alcohol-based sanitizers.”
“Because of inherent dangers, our school will not be using alcohol-based hand sanitizers in classrooms,” said Derry Martabano, director of the Kiwi School in Mahopac, New York. “When hand washing isn’t available, we insist teachers use alcohol-free products to help prevent the spread of illness in the classroom.”
Fortunately, alcohol-free hand sanitizers can be equally effective as alcohol-based sanitizers. When hand washing isn’t available, many experts recommend using products such as Smart & Silky Kids Foaming Hand Sanitizer, which helps kill 99.99 percent of illness-causing germs on the skin in 15 seconds and is unscented and hypoallergenic. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) testing has confirmed its ability to reduce bacteria on the skin, and it has been shown to be effective against a broad range of dangerous bacteria.
The active ingredient in this product is benzalkonium chloride, a nondrying, moisturizing and conditioning formula. The product is sold at Target and OfficeMax stores. www.officemax.com
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