Skip to main content
Logo for WebMD
Logo for WebMD
  • Coronavirus Update
  • Check Your Symptoms
  • Find A Doctor
  • Find A Dentist
  • Connect to Care
  • Find Lowest Drug Prices
  • Health
    A-Z
    Health A-Z
    Health A-Z
    Common Conditions
    • ADD/ADHD
    • Allergies
    • Arthritis
    • Cancer
    • Coronavirus (COVID-19)
    • Depression
    • Diabetes
    • Eye Health
    • Heart Disease
    • Lung Disease
    • Orthopedics
    • Pain Management
    • Sexual Conditions
    • Skin Problems
    • Sleep Disorders
    • View All
    Resources
    • Symptom Checker
    • WebMD Blogs
    • Podcasts
    • Newsletters
    • Questions & Answers
    • Insurance Guide
    • Find a Doctor
    • Children's Conditions A-Z
    • Surgeries and Procedures A-Z
    • Featured Topics
    • woman experiencing chest discomfort Symptom Checker COVID-19: Check Your Symptoms Now
    • photo of migraine Slideshow Get Help for Migraine Relief
  • Drugs &
    Supplements
    Drugs & Supplements
    Drugs & Supplements
    Find & Review
    • Drugs
    • Supplements
    Drug Basics & Safety
    • Commonly Abused Drugs
    • Taking Meds When Pregnant
    Tools
    • Manage Your Medications
    • Pill Identifier
    • Check for Interactions
    • Drug Comparison Tool
    • Featured Topics
    • assorted vitamins Slideshow Vitamins You Need as You Age
    • berry and yogurt on spoon Slideshow Supplements for Better Digestion
  • Living
    Healthy
    Living Healthy
    Living Healthy
    Diet, Food & Fitness
    • Diet & Weight Management
    • Weight Loss & Obesity
    • Food & Recipes
    • Fitness & Exercise
    Beauty & Balance
    • Healthy Beauty
    • Health & Balance
    • Sex & Relationships
    • Oral Care
    Living Well
    • Women's Health
    • Men's Health
    • Aging Well
    • Healthy Sleep
    • Healthy Teens
    • Featured Topics
    • grocery cart Article Smart Grocery Shopping When You Have Diabetes
    • walking sneakers Quiz Do You Know the Benefits of Walking?
  • Family &
    Pregnancy
    Family & Pregnancy
    Family & Pregnancy
    All About Pregnancy
    • Getting Pregnant
    • First Trimester
    • Second Trimester
    • Third Trimester
    • View All
    Parenting Guide
    • Newborn & Baby
    • Children's Health
    • Children's Vaccines
    • Raising Fit Kids
    • View All
    Pet Care Essentials
    • Healthy Cats
    • Healthy Dogs
    • View All
    • Featured Topics
    • apple slices and peanut butter Slideshow Smart Snacks When You're Pregnant
    • photo of dogs kissing Slideshow Surprising Things You Didn't Know About Dogs and Cats
  • News &
    Experts
    News & Experts
    News & Experts
    Health News
    • Coronavirus News & Updates
    • COVID-19 Vaccines -- Latest Updates Here
    • COVID-19: Check Your Symptoms Now
    • Coronavirus in Context: Interviews With Experts
    • Social Distancing, Quarantine Explained
    Experts & Community
    • WebMD Blogs
    • News Center
    • Featured Topics
    • photo of coronavirus cell WebMD News Get the Latest COVID-19 News Here
    • photo of person typing Newsletters Sign Up to Receive Our Free Coroanvirus Newsletter
  • Mobile Apps
  • Subscriptions
  • Sign In
  • Subscribe
  • My Profile
    • My Tools
    • My WebMD Pages
    • My Account
    • Sign Out

    Baby Proofing Home

    • Medical Reference
    • Features
    • Video
    • Slideshows & Images
    • News Archive

    Baby

    • News
    • Reference
    • Slideshows
    • Quizzes
    • Videos
    • Questions & Answers
    • Find a Pediatrician

    Guides

    • Toddler Milestones
    • Child Development
    • Behavior & Discipline
    • Child Safety
    • Healthy Habits
    • All Guide Topics

    Baby Guide

    • Baby Development
    • Baby Nutrition
    • Breastfeeding
    • Bottle Feeding
    • Crying & Colic
    • Diapering
    • Essential Baby Gear
    • Sleeping
    • Foods for New Moms
    • Your Baby's Skin

    Related Topics

    • Children's Health
    • Children's Vaccines
    • Parenting
    • Pregnancy
    • More Related Topics
    • Parenting
    • Baby
    • Videos

    Get Help for Your Baby's Eczema

    Babies and Germs

    Video Transcript

    Narrator: Leif and Sam Bretan are 10 month-old bouncing twin boys. The babies are generally happy and healthy and their mom Robin would like to keep it that way. WebMD arranged to have Renee Watson, a registered nurse and infectious disease expert from Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, visit Robin and her boys to offer a few tips about keeping them safe from germs…

    Renee Watson, RN, CIC, Manager, Infection Control and Occupational Health: You use this for comfort. It might not be the best choice from an infection standpoint

    Narrator: A mess on a hard surface is easier to spot, so fabrics tend to harbor germs more readily…

    Harley A. Rotbart, MD, Professor and Vice Chairman of Pediatrics: I'm the doctor.

    Narrator: Author and germ expert, Dr. Harley Rotbart of the Children's Hospital of Denver says parents should be educated about germ flash points …

    Harley A. Rotbart, MD, Professor and Vice Chairman of Pediatrics: Once babies get to be six month of age, all heck breaks loose as far as germs are concerned.

    Narrator: That's because younger, but otherwise healthy babies tend to carry immunities from their mothers. Protection that starts to wear off at around six months.

    Harley A. Rotbart, MD, Professor and Vice Chairman of Pediatrics: The average number of cold, flu, and fever illnesses that a child will get in the first year or two of life is somewhere between 8 and 12 a year…

    Narrator: And that's not all bad as most are mild and help to build up a child's immune system.

    Renee Watson, RN, CIC, Manager, Infection Control and Occupational Health: You're not going to make a sterile environment at home. There's only one place in the hospital where we can make a sterile environment and that's in the operating room.

    Robin Bretan, Mother of twin boys: Sam this morning woke up with a runny nose and I always worry about both of them catching what everyone has.

    Renee Watson, RN, CIC, Manager, Infection Control and Occupational Health: When you're talking about more severe infections perhaps, strep throat and things, you definitely want to keep them as separate as possible.

    Narrator: There are things you can do to lower the odds of inviting more chronic or severe infections into your home.

    Harley A. Rotbart, MD, Professor and Vice Chairman of Pediatrics: Once the baby starts getting mobile and they can start crawling, then germs on the floor and germs on surfaces that they can pick themselves up on, become more important that's when household cleaning regiments are particularly important. That's when you need to start disinfecting. Disinfecting should contain bleach, ammonia works; there are certain alcohol and phenyl compounds that work. But my preferred disinfectant is a disinfectant that contains bleach, because bleach is effective against both bacteria and against viruses.

    Narrator: Keeping a healthy home starts by keeping infectious germs from spreading. Toys and personal items that have come in contact with a sick child should not be shared and should be washed in hot soapy water or put in the dishwasher. And frequent hand washing is always encouraged for parents with infants—especially after contact with someone who's sick, a diaper changing and always before and after preparing food. One of the most effective ways to keep your baby away from harmful infections is to build up their immune system. That's why healthcare professionals like Renee strongly urge parents to make sure their little ones have all their recommended shots by the time they're a year old.

    Renee Watson, RN, CIC, Manager, Infection Control and Occupational Health: We're a much more healthy community because of vaccines.

    Narrator: For WebMD, I'm Damon Meharg

    Related Videos

    Editor's Picks

    • woman with cup of coffee

      Video

      The Truth About Coffee
    • tongue scraper and tongue

      Video

      5 Ways to Beat Bad Breath
    • couple having sex in bed

      Video

      Why Orgasms Feel Good

    Latest Videos

    Top Picks

    • A Day in the Life of Your Newborn
    • Is My New Baby Eating Enough?
    • What Happens When Your Son Is Circumcised?
    • The Best Diet for New Moms
    • Your Preemie's First Year: What to Expect
    • When to Call Your Newborn's Doctor

    further reading

    • Baby-Proofing Essentials
    • Ready for Baby
    • Babyproof Your Sanity: 6 Tips for New Parents
    • Protecting Babies From Germs
    • Avoid Food Poisoning: Keep Your Refrigerator Safe
    • Germs in the Kitchen
    • Symptoms of an Ear Infection
    • Baby Proofing Topics

    Today on Grow

    Human fetus in utero at 8 weeks

    Your Baby's Growth: Conception to Birth

    parents and baby

    Life Changes After Baby Arrives: New-Parent Surprises

    baby acne

    Is My Baby Typical? What's Normal and What's Not

    baby asleep on moms shoulder

    Baby Napping Guide: Dos and Don'ts

    Recommended for You

    mother holding baby at night ARTICLE

    Better Sleep for Baby and You

    mother with sick child QUIZ

    How to Soothe Your Child’s Cold or Flu

    Chinese mother breast feeding newborn baby girl SLIDESHOW

    Tips to Boost Your Milk Supply

    Track Your Babys Vaccines TOOL

    Track Your Baby's Vaccines

    Baby Napping 10 Dos And Donts Slideshow

    Baby Napping Dos and Don'ts

    Mother with her baby boy Article

    How 'Baby Talk' Helps Brain Development

    baby in crib Slideshow

    Keep Your Baby Safe From SIDS

    baby gear slideshow Slideshow

    4 Baby Gear Essentials

    Tools & Resources

    • Is Your Newborn Typical?
    • Stretches for New Moms
    • Can Teething Cause a Fever?
    • 8 Surprising Facts About Twins
    • Why Babies Are Sleeping in Boxes
    • Lose the Baby Weight

    Health Solutions

    • Penis Curved When Erect
    • Could I have CAD?
    • Treat Bent Fingers
    • Tools to Improve Health
    • The Health Data in Spit
    • Relapsing MS Options
    • Rethink MS Treatment
    • AFib-Related Strokes
    • Risk of a Future DVT/PE
    • Is My Penis Normal?
    • Weight-Loss Surgery
    • Liver Transplants Save Lives
    • HIV and Fat
    • Discover hATTR Symptoms
    • Trouble Urinating?
    • Missing Teeth?

    More from WebMD

    • Finding the Care You Need for MS
    • How to Thrive With Narcolepsy
    • Eat Better in the New Year
    • Psoriatic Arthritis and Your Sleep
    • What Psoriasis Feels Like
    • First Psoriatic Arthritis Flare
    • Talking to Your Doctor About RA
    • Start a Home Fitness Program
    • Avoiding Crohn’s Flares
    • Living With Ankylosing Spondylitis
    • COVID-19 & Minority Health Care
    • Types of B-Cell Therapy for MS
    • Living Better With T2 Diabetes
    • Why Prostate Cancer Spreads
    • When Ulcerative Colitis Flares
    • Where Breast Cancer Spreads
    • Logo for WebMD
      • Visit WebMD on Facebook
      • Visit WebMD on Twitter
      • Visit WebMD on Pinterest
    • Policies

      • Privacy Policy
      • Cookie Policy
      • Editorial Policy
      • Advertising Policy
      • Correction Policy
      • Terms of Use

      About

      • Contact Us
      • About WebMD
      • Careers
      • Newsletter
      • Corporate
      • WebMD Health Services
      • Site Map
      • Accessibility
    • WebMD Network

      • Medscape
      • Medscape Reference
      • MedicineNet
      • eMedicineHealth
      • RxList
      • OnHealth
      • WebMDRx
      • First Aid
      • WebMD Magazine
      • WebMD Health Record
      • Dictionary
      • Physician Directory
    • Our Apps

      • WebMD Mobile
      • WebMD App
      • Pregnancy
      • Baby
      • Allergy
      • Medscape

      For Advertisers

      • Advertise with Us
      • Advertising Policy

    © 2005 - 2019 WebMD LLC. All rights reserved.

    WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

    See additional information.