I am day two into my daughter's runny nose. She's in first grade, and has had a persistent runny nose for two days. While it at times is frustrating for her, she seems to be acting normally otherwise. But a recent article caught my eye about this subject at the same time I was thinking about my daughter and her runny nose.

When is your child too sick to go to daycare or school? It is a question many of must occasionally ask ourselves whether we're stay at home parents or parents who go off to work each day.

In a web article from the New York Times this week, Dr. Caroline Breese Hall, a professor of pediatrics and medicine at the University of Rochester, spoke to the writer about this very issue. Simply put, there isn't a black and white answer. Dr. Hall referenced a study that proved hands-on contact with a sick child most often leads to you getting or spreading the virus - that is, if you don't take precautions.

"It's not practical to keep everybody out who's shedding virus - that's everybody all winter long," Dr. Robert Tolan, chief of the division of allergy, immunology and infectious diseases at the Children's Hospital at St. Peter's University Hospital in New Brunswick, N.J told the New York Times. So what can you do?

Wash, wash wash says the NY Times article:

"The only thing we can really show well in infection control is hand washing," Dr. Hall said. "Even for those viruses that are spread by aerosol" - through the air"

But you really need to wash your hands often. I found some good advice on the Mayo Clinic's website that you might find useful on hand washing and using hand sanitizer.

Proper hand washing with soap and water

Follow these instructions for washing with soap and water:
• Wet your hands with warm, running water and apply liquid soap or use clean bar soap. Lather well.
• Rub your hands vigorously together for at least 15 to 20 seconds.
• Scrub all surfaces, including the backs of your hands, wrists, between your fingers and under your fingernails.
• Rinse well.
• Dry your hands with a clean or disposable towel.
• Use a towel to turn off the faucet.

Proper use of an alcohol-based hand sanitizer

Alcohol-based hand sanitizers - which don't require water - are an excellent alternative to hand washing, particularly when soap and water aren't available. They're actually more effective than soap and water in killing bacteria and viruses that cause disease. Commercially prepared hand sanitizers contain ingredients that help prevent skin dryness. Using these products can result in less skin dryness and irritation than hand washing.

Not all hand sanitizers are created equal, though. Some "waterless" hand sanitizers don't contain alcohol. Use only the alcohol-based products. The Center for Disease Control recommends choosing products that contain at least 60 percent alcohol."

Another idea that popped into my parenting mind - is the germs on those grocery carts. If you can wipe them down with an antibacterial wipe, do so to kill those virus germs - and any others that might be lurking. An online article on abcnews.com cited relatively recent research by the University of Arizona which looked into just how germy those carts are: "They found that shopping carts were loaded with more saliva, bacteria and even fecal matter than escalators, public telephones, and even public bathrooms." Well, think about all those diapers that have been in the seat of the cart - and then we put our fruits, vegetables and purse there?

The bottom line according to the New York Times article: "Keep your child home from school if there's fever, or if the child feels too crummy to participate - but don't worry so much about the runny nose in the row behind." And in the meantime, do your best to stop the spreading of the virus.

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