Young Children Using Public Restroom

I guess I am really paranoid. Not only do I tell my kids do not touch anything but I put layers of toilet paper down on both sides and across the front especially if open spot on the seat in front. When they were smaller, I used to just hold them up above the toilet seat and tell them to go, and occassionally still do this when we dont have time to put tp down.

I wouldn't worry unless you can see something icky on the seat. Doorknobs and sink knobs carry more germs than the toilet seat.

From one OCD mom about public restrooms--yes kids need to be exposed to some germs, but not those germs(STD's,staph,etc). Public restrooms are the most gross place a child can be exposed too. I carry wipes and wipe the seat down thoroughly before my son goes, whether he chooses to stand and/or sit. I constantly remind him to not touch anything and we scub our hands, we don't touch the handles because of all the people who don't wash the hand, I have taught him to use his shoe to flush, to open the doors and/or use a paper towel and then we purell when we leave the restroom. I have him so grossed out about public restrooms, that he will even remind me of the rules.
On another note: children are not exposed enough to "healthy germs" and that is why there has been an out break of staph-infections, but I would rather expose him to those germs in my own home by reducing the amount of anti-bacterial soaps that are used, and replace them with all natural non-toxic, environmentally safe soaps. Control what you can, expose them to what you can and protect them from what you can.
God Speed, M. N.

I always carry sanitizer wipes in my purse, the handy kind in the check-out line at Wal-Mart. I don't carry gloves, but I just pull out the wipe and wipe down the seat and the top of the side of the toilet my daughter might use to hang on. Then we make sure to wash our hands well afterwards. I don't think that's too extreme, but that's just me!!

I used to be so paranoid about that myself S.. But, I have MANY friends who are healthcare professionals and all have assured me that it rarely do you have to worry about getting something from a toilet seat unless you have a large open sore of some sort. Just be sure your kiddos wash their hands really good (sing through their abc's or happy birthday) when they are done as little hands hands are all over the seat. The most important thing to be vigil about is hand washing!!! Hand washing is going to be your best germ fighter! Teach this well and you won't have too much to worry about!

Hi S.,
I have 4 children and the 2 middle ones are boy 7 yrs and girl almost 4 years. When we go into a public restroom there are a couple things we do:

1) Always check the stall to make sure A) the toliet seat is clean B) the toliet has been flushed and C) there is toliet paper in the stall.

2) My son I don't really have to worry about because he stands up unless of course he has ro go #2 but then I don't allow him to A) open or close the stall door (we all go into the big handicap one, I have a 15 month old also), I do B) when he is done I don't allow them to flush the toliet (some places now have the automatic ones but some don't), I do with my foot and I don't touch anything else but the door to the stall and I give them toilet paper.

3) When we are done I keep hand sanitizer with me reason being, if I am by myself and I have 3 younger kids I can't put the 15 month old down she will take off and touch everything and the sinks are sometimes to high and I have to left my 4 yr old up. So I find hand sanitizer is better and I can squirt it on them when we get back to our table, to the cart or the stroller. If I don't have my youngest with me or dad is with me he keeps her while I take the younger 2, in that case I lift up my 4 yr old and get her the soap and turn on the water, I also turn on the water for my son. When they are done if we have to get paper towel I get them some if not and they have the hand dryers I turn them on for them with my shoulder or arm. After they have washed their hands I wash mine and then I do 2 things, if they have a hand dryer I once again use my arm or shoulder to turn it on or if they have paper towel I pull enough off to dry my hands but then either grab an extra paper towel to open the door with (if the trash can is to far away I just take it with me and try and find one somewhere else) or use the arm of my sleeve or coat to open the door.

And finally I have them go to the bathroom before we leave the house but even then they still seem to want to visit the bathroom like it is something interesting.

S.,
I have twin 4 year old boys, and I bought a travel potty to put in the back of my car. I do have an SUV which helps, but whenever they have to go #1 I can pull over and let them go without having to stop at a dirty public bathroom. If they have to go #2, I take them to a public place. You can by disposable toliet covers at Babies R Us or they make hard ones that fold in half and come in a plastic bag.

C.

Tell me about it...everytime I walk into a restroom with my son, 4Yrs, I am always afraid of what I might find...pending on the stores. Most of the stores wee shop at, have very clean looking restrooms. My son likes to stand up to go potty, but sometimes leans a bit too far for my comfort, so I always take the clorox wipes in my purse and do a quick wipe off if the toilet bowl is not as clean as would like. You just never know what's out there and I'd rather be safe than sorry. I clean the potty at my own house on a very regular basis, why shouldn't I do a quick wipe outside the home for my kids? So I feel your concern.

I don't worry about it ~ unless it is obvious that there is something gross on the seat... My opinion is that parents are sometimes "too clean" I think that kids need exposure to some germs to build a healthy immune system. My sister is a self proclaimed "germophobe" and her kids have gotten every cold, stomache flu, influenza virus that has gone around this winter while my kids have remained fairly healthy with only one cold so far (knock on wood). One piece of advice she gave me is... when you're traveling (long car ride) and need to stop to potty, look for a hotel ~ most often, the lobby restroom is much cleaner than a rest area or gas station, and they don't seem to mind if you pop in to use it quickly. Hope this helps!
B.

I would worry more about what the child touches, than what they sit on.

Yes, we just took our first trip w/ our daughter finally trained. I notice her hands always touch the seat b/c she has to hole herself up! I would maybe take along some flushable wipes and wipe the seat down. This day and age, I bet you could google "toilet seat wipes" (or try "one step ahead" online..they are pretty creative)and find something. Good luck!

If it worries you too much, just keep some hand sanitizer in your purse. Put some on some toilet paper and wipe down the seat top before they use it.

Just grin and bear it. Then use the opportunity to teach your children the importance of washing hands.

I'm not sure what else I've always just put the toilet paper down. My kids weren't sure about it at first, but when I was stern about it and told them that that's what we do and sit on in public due to the toilet being yucky after awhile they finally saw as normal.
Good Luck

-J. M.
www.themomteam.com/mom2
HELPING Moms Stay Home!

Dear S.,
It has been proven that you cannot get sick from sitting on a dirty toilet- the germs really can't enter your body. Unless, of course, your hands touch the toilet seat or your bottom, and then go to your nose or mouth, then it's possible to catch something, but if you wash your hands afterwords, it really shouldn't be a problem. If you must insist in disinfecting, though, carry around little wipes. I think that Lysol or one of those disinfectant brands even makes purse-sized spray bottles!

I don't think that you're being overprotective and I would defintely carry something, as one person suggested, a germicidal wipe. I found out when I was taking Microbiology they now know that genital herpes can "live" on a toilet seat for FOUR hours! This means anyone who sat on the toilet with an active sore could have left the virus on the seat. For myself I always wipe the seat first with toilet paper. Then I either straddle the seat or use the toilet covers. If there aren't any toilet covers, I lay toilet paper on the seat. I don't want this disease when I have have used precautions not to contract it myself!

About me: I am a returning medical student and have had many pre-med courses. I am in the process of obtaining my Physician's Assistant Degree.

Don't worry about it. Unless it is noticeably dirty, it's not worth the worry. My grandmother would have you know otherwise and would personally come hold your children over the toilet like she used to do to me when I was a child. But, my grandma's a little nutty! What germs are on the toilet, cannot live long enough to be passed to the next little tush that sits on them. My daughter's not old enough to be using public toilets, but for myself, I just wipe every public toilet seat down w/ TP first so I don't find any wet spots I didn't know were there, and I sit down! I just make sure to wash my hands afterward. After all, THAT'S what they say spreads germs, right? Anyway, if it makes you feel better to clean the toilet, do it. But I wouldn't worry about it.

I think you have to be more worried about drinking fountains & door handles than the toilet seat. My 9 yr old dtr & 5 yr old son sit on public toilet seats & have never been sick from it. I just make sure they both wash their hands with warm soapy water before they leave the bathroom & use a paper towel to touch the door handle.

If you do not like them touching the seat have them put their hands on their knees. I thought my 2 year would fall in, but she does it just fine. We always make sure we wash our hands well before we leave.

unless there is something i can see on the seat, i just grin and bear it! YUCK! i know! I hate public restrooms! we wash our hands when finished and once we are out the door, we use germ-x on our hands. i keep a small bottle of germ-x with me at all times. i am a germophobe! i wash my hands 75-100 times a day (yes i took a tally, i was curious) on another subject, i found a great lotion for excessive hand washers like me. Lubriderm Advanced Therapy. 24 hour moisture and stays on through hand washing! it works!!

It sounds like you've gotten a lot of wodnerful advice fo the cleanliness issue, I just wanted to share my experience when I take my young children to public restrooms!! Nowadays it seems that A LOT of publc restrooms are using the "Automatic Flushing" toilets. My 3 year old is TERRIFIED of them! They are loud and because he is so short they always go off early. So, I bring post it notes with me in my purse to cover the sensor. Then, when he is done, go in and take the post it off.

When I was working at an after school program, we took our kindergarteners to a public pool for swimming. Well, one of the girls needed to use the restroom, saw that it was the automatic one, and REFUSED to go. So, we all know what she did ;).

Just wanted to offer that since your children are so young as well!!

Yhey now have those wipes that disinfect....you can NEVER be too careful. I do it too & I still make my son go into the womens bathroom with men IF no adult male is with me. a grown man can over power a pre-teen boy, so I just make him cover his head & we go in * out BUT NOT w/o washing first. Good luck & God Bless.

Hi S.!
This is what I always do. I take toilet paper and wipe down the toilet seat, then I still fold tp and lay it on both sides of the seat before I sit down. I have trained my daughter to do the same (she is 9), but there are times when one is desperate and you just have to "go"! So far, we are all healthy and nobody has contracted any disease. And, yes, I think rubber globes are over the top.

Good Luck with the master's degree. Sounds like you are carrying a big load. I am taking an online 3 credit course from University of Phoenix and it is pretty intense. I have my hands full and I don't work outside of the home. :-)

D. D -SAHM of 16 and 14 year old boys, 9 year old girl who I home school.

I never had any problems with my boys catching anything in a public restroom. I think they have been in every restroom of every place we have ever been! If you need to disinfect, you can carry a travel pack of lysol wipes or some such product to clean the toilet seat. I would worry more about sitting your purse on the floor and what germs get on the bottom of your purse.

This is what I do with my little boys. First of all I remind them not to touch ANYTHING while they are in there. I cover the toilet seat in a couple layers of toilet paper. And you could even ask them to assist you in covering the seat so they can sit. As another mom said, I too make them flush with their foot, or I tell them don't touch it and I go in and flush it for them. Granted mine are still small enough to take into the girls room with me, but my hubby does the same when he goes into the boys room with them. My oldest is 6 but I still do not allow him to go in alone, he is short and I am deathly afraid of the germs in public restrooms, and in order for him to get on the potty he has to climb lol. So we make sure we go in and "fix" the potty first. This has worked well and now they actually wait for us to fix it before they even attempt to go into the stall. Hope this helps!

Hi S.,

I too have a 3 yr old and grimace everytime I have to take her into a public restroom because no matter how many times I tell her not to touch everything, she does anyway. It's just part of being 3 and learning about your surroundings. Personally, I think as parents we can go to extreme by trying to make sure that everything is disinfected before our children touches them. Being exposed to bacteria and germs is how their bodies build up immunities towards those things so they can fight them off - so if we keep them from being exposed to them at all we're actually doing them more harm than good. My thought is to teach them to wipe the seat off before they sit down or use seat covers if they're available in the stall, and to always, always wash their hands thouroughly before they leave (and of course to keep their hands away from their mouth until their hands are washed). If we teach them good habits they will be fine. I know my mom sure didn't disenfect the toilet before I sat down everytime and there was no such thing as seat covers back then...we all turned out ok, so our kids will too. Good luck!