I thought this topic was particularly timely seeing as I
have been running around all week planning my son’s 7
th
birthday.
Last year I got off scot-free
as we were on vacation at Disney World for his birthday.
It’s amazing how a year off in planning a
party makes you forget how much work it is!
Work because being a bit of an overachiever I like to go a bit
overboard.
This year’s theme is Minecraft.
If you’re not in the know, Minecraft is a
creative game that allows players to use various coloured cubes to build things
and you apparently mine for gems etc...
I found out the hard way that decorating stores (at least in my neck of
the woods) do not have pre-made decorations.
Being an overachiever, I have been forced to buy square plates in
different colours to make my own decorations.
If they turn out, follow me on Twitter (@nicolecronkenny) and I’ll post
some pictures of what I ended up making!
It was because I am planning a birthday party that made the
news article I found about an investigation into the health hazards of bouncy
houses/castles – the ones you rent to provide hours of entertainment- so
interesting. Before getting into the
details I must acknowledge that the source for this article is Fox News. So while interesting and potentially
truthful, I would caution against panicking and never letting your children
enjoy a bouncy house/castle again. Heck,
I’ve been known to have some fun in them!
According to the investigation by Fox News, bouncy castles
can pose a risk to your children’s health because of the potential to transmit Staphylococcus and cause skin
infections. Staphylococcus aureus (commonly known as Staph) is a common
bacterium often found on our skin or in our noses. While it is often harmless and does not cause
infection, skin that has become abraded (e.g. skin rubbing against the bouncy
house causing a “rug burn” type rash) could have the potential to come in
contact with Staph and lead to an infection.
The biggest concern of course is if Staph happens to be MRSA
and as we know from several outbreaks associated with artificial grass and
wrestling mats, Staph has the ability to transmit directly from person to
person or indirectly from fomites (inanimate object) like a bouncy castle. Skin
infections with Staph can become quite serious, particularly in people with
underlying diseases or weakened immune systems and can lead to infections of
the blood, lungs, bones or even heart valves.
So what can parents do to keep children safe when playing on
bouncy castles? In general, hand hygiene
will help stop the spread. Children should wash their hands before and after
playing on bouncy castles. We should
also ensure that uncovered skin is kept clean.
If they happen to have minor skin cuts or abrasions ensure these are
covered with a Band-Aid prior to playing and if cuts or abrasions occur during
the course of the fun be sure to clean them thoroughly.
If you happen to rent a bouncy castle (or buy one) for use
at home, to minimize any concerns with transmission of infectious diseases you
can clean and disinfect prior to allowing your child to play on it using a
registered disinfectant that has been proven to be effective against Staphylococcus aureus and/or MRSA. Be sure to remove any visible debris first
by sweeping or vacuuming and then wipe down all the surfaces with the
disinfectant ensuring that the contact listed on the label is met. Keep in mind that depending on the product
you are using you may have to wipe the surfaces more than once in order to
achieve the contact time and ensure you are killing what you want to kill!
Bugging off!
Nicole
