Parks for Children to Breathe Pose Danger if Care is Not Taken

Microbiologist Dr. Regarding children's playgrounds, which are one of the indispensable haunts of children and parents, especially in summer, Lecturer. Prof. Dr. İpek Ada Alver warned of the risk of infection. Pointing out that children can get many bacterial, viral and fungal infections if precautions are not taken in the contacted swings, slides, seesaws and holding areas, Ada Alver said, “After children play in playgrounds, attention should be paid to hand hygiene, frequent bathing should be done, and the clothes worn in the park should be separate.”

Playgrounds are an escape for children who are stuck in the shadows of buildings in the busy city life. Children who want to release their energy and play freely in the open air spend a lot of time in these parks during the summer months. However, Microbiologist Dr. Lecturer from Altınbaş University. Prof. Dr. İpek Ada Alver, Microbiologist from Altınbaş University, stated that playgrounds are not as innocent as they think and gave important warnings to parents. Prof. Dr. Lecturer. Prof. Dr. İpek Ada Alver said, “In playgrounds, which are considered safe in outdoor environments, children may face serious health problems due to indirect contamination and inadequate care.” Sharing the issues that parents should pay attention to in order to protect children's health, İpek Ada Alver underlined the precautions to be taken in playgrounds.

Prof. Dr. Assist. Prof. Dr. İpek Ada Alver said, “Parks carry the risk of indirect contamination at many points. Indirect contamination is that children are infected indirectly through the structures (swings, slides, seesaws and holding areas) that children come into contact with in playgrounds without direct contact with the infected individual. If parents do not take precautions in this regard, children can get many bacterial, viral and fungal infections transmitted through contact.”

First step Regular care

İpek Ada Alver also underlined that the risk of rusty nails, iron and broken glass materials from unmaintained children's playgrounds injuring the child and disrupting the skin integrity and the risk of transmission of other blood-borne infections, especially tetanus and rabies, should not be ignored. “For this reason, the maintenance and disinfection of children's playgrounds should be carried out regularly against the risks of infection that may develop due to injuries,” Ada Alver stated that the maintenance of children's playgrounds is the first step in preventing infections.

Hands should be washed after contact with sand and soil

On the other hand, Ada Alver stated that animals such as cats, dogs, mice and hedgehogs transmit many intestinal parasites, especially Toxoplasma gondii , to children's playgrounds through feces and warned parents as follows: “As a result of children taking their hands to their mouths after contact with sand and soil, these intestinal parasites settle in the intestines of children via fecal-oral route, causing symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, weakness, and if left untreated, they can cause more serious symptoms.”

Clothes should be separate, bathed and disinfected

Microbiologist Dr. Lecturer from Altınbaş University on what to do to protect against these risks during and after the park. Prof. Dr. İpek Ada Alver concluded her speech as follows:

“Children should especially pay attention to hand hygiene after playing in playgrounds, they should be bathed frequently, hands and pacifiers that fall on the ground should be prevented from direct contact with the mouth without disinfection, and if possible, the clothes they wear in the park should be washed separately at higher temperatures, In case of injuries such as rusty nail sticks or glass cuts, dressings should be applied and in such injuries, protective measures should be taken against the risk of tetanus and rabies as well as wound care by going to the nearest health institution.” and advised parents to take precautions against possible infection risks that can be transmitted to children from playgrounds.