Visit at the out-patient clinic / child puts finger in the mouth

Question

Dear ladies and gentlemen,

my daughter, CF, 7 years old (Pseudomonas negative) plays in the childrens waiting room and touches the floor and permanently she has the hands in the face and in the mouth. I do not like this and have talked to her many times, but she says that she could clean her hands with disinfectant but only afterwards. I do not know how to handle this, as especially in the out-patient clinic where there are 5 different clinics germs are present.
Yours sincerely and many thanks,

Answer

Dear questioner,

if I got your question right, you want to know, how high the risk for your 7-year old Pseudomonas negative daughter is, to get a colonization with Pseudomonas in the waiting-room of the childrens- or CF out-patient clinic. I cannot answer your question, as the colonization with germs of a waiting-room depend on many factors, which can not be estimated right by you and by me.
As we have the same problem in our waiting area, we have decided to do the following:
There are Pseudmonas positive and negative days in our out-patient clinic, that means, that patients, which do not have a Pseudmonas, do not meet patients, being colonized with Pseudmonas. In addition, every patient - independent if Pseudmonas positive or negative - puts on a mouthpiece and gloves before entering the out-patient clinic. The mouthpiece is only put off for doing the pulmonary function test and after that in the treating room. By this, no germs can enter via the mouth.
After leaving the clinic, mouthpieces and gloves are disposed and a disinfection of patients' and parents' hands is taking place.
That sounds probably a bit inconvenient, has been established quickly however in our center and is performed consequently by all patients.
Probably you could discuss this procedure sometime with your out-patient clinic doctor.
Yours sincerely,
Ernst Rietschel

26.05.2009