Gross Stuff Kids Do: Will It Hurt Them?
Pick Their Noses
Childhood and boogers seem to go hand and hand. Scan any room full of kids, and there’s a good chance you’ll see at least one “digging for gold.” Even grosser? They often wipe the treasure they find on the nearest surface, or eat it. Picking can leads to a nosebleeds, so work with your kid to break the habit.
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Lick Dirty Things
How is it that kids can find the grimiest spot in any area and then put their mouth right on it? The pole in the middle of the subway car, the public bathroom doorknob, your shopping cart handle -- kids will lick them all. That isn’t good because bacteria and viruses can live on surfaces for several hours. But don’t bathe them in hand sanitizer just yet -- they more likely to get germs from person-to-person contact.
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Put Their Hands Down Their Pants
Fact: Kids don’t always wipe well after they use the bathroom. And dirty bottoms can get itchy. Make sure your petite pooper knows how to clean themself after they go, and to wash their wandering hands with soap and warm water. If they can’t stop scratching, it might be time for a peek between the cheeks -- it could a sign of pinworms.
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Use Their Sleeve as a Hankie
If there’s a choice between tissue or clothes when it’s time to tame a runny nose, kids go for the arm almost every time. (Sometimes they go for your sleeve.) Crusty clothes are definitely gross, but it’s actually better they wipe snot there than on their hands. It helps slow the spread of germs.
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Pee in the Pool
It takes a lot of willpower for a kid splashing in the shallow end to get out of the water to go to the bathroom. If the yuck factor alone isn’t enough, the chlorine/urine mix can form chemicals that irritate your eyes and damage metal pool parts. Tell your tots to head for dry land when it's time to potty.
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Chew on Everything
Hair, pencils, shirt collars, fingernails, keys, dog toys-- kids will gnaw just about anything. Often, they don’t even realize they’re doing it. Icky as it is, a habit like this is a normal part of development and will soon pass. Let common sense guide you -- if it goes somewhere that isn't clean, keep it away from them as much as you can.
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Pick at Scabs
Childhood is full of scraped knees, which means it’s also full of scabs. And kids can’t seem to leave those crusty patches alone. They pick and pry them at them until before long, they’re bleeding again. But scabs are the body’s natural bandages. So if your kid takes them off too soon, they more likely to get an infection.
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Pass Gas
You’d be hard-pressed to find a kid who doesn’t think a fart is funny. And the worse it smells, the more reaction they know they'll get. But if your little prince can’t seem to stop giving off gas, check his diet. Beans, fried foods, or dairy could be to blame.
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Sources Medically Reviewed on 08/27/2020 Reviewed by Dan Brennan, MD on August 27, 2020
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SOURCES:
American Academy of Pediatrics: “Pinworms.”
Kids Health: “Your Child’s Habits,” “What’s a Scab?” “What’s a Fart?”
CDC: “Cover Your Cough,” “Chloramines & Pool Operation.”
Mayo Clinic: “Influenza.”
Reviewed by Dan Brennan, MD on August 27, 2020
This tool does not provide medical advice. See additional information.
THIS TOOL DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. It is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and should not be relied on to make decisions about your health. Never ignore professional medical advice in seeking treatment because of something you have read on the WebMD Site. If you think you may have a medical emergency, immediately call your doctor or dial 911.
