More food for thought..germy candy bowls on Halloween night

[infomama]

As if H1N1 isn't scary enough. Dr. Gupta and another woman were discussing this flu and the increase in the reported deaths (in children). Then someone mentions about how candy bowls are worth mentioning since lots and lots of hands will be dipping into them (not news in itself, of course).

So...guess I will be carrying around Purell tomorrow.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Never even thought about it. I'll try not to get grossed out about it. But, now I will be. Some cans of worms are best left unopened...ignorance can be bliss! :)

Beth

[todzwife]

Here most people will toss a piece of candy into the kids bags so only the person holding the bowl really touches it. Which is still gross.


Would it be bad if I lysoled all the candy down? hehee

[ZeeBaby]

I know it is over kill but I am doing gloves and giving the candy rather then allowing every one to dip into the bowl.

[BabyMine]

Sometimes my love of chocolate trumps the threats of an illness. Gotta have my Reese's PBC. MMMMMMmmmm, cough, cough. :D

[SnuggleBuggles]

I know it is over kill but I am doing gloves and giving the candy rather then allowing every one to dip into the bowl.

That reminds me that gloves are part of ds1's costume.

Beth

[jent]

See, I don't have a big problem with this. The candy is wrapped. Wash your hands before you eat it (if you want to be extra careful, after you've unwrapped but before you eat it). We touch things many times a day that others have touched (door handles, etc), so the wrapped candy isn't a big deal to me.

ETA: and wash your hands after you get home from trick-or-treating. Just as you might after you get home from the grocery store, the library, or the park.

[infomama]

I know it is over kill but I am doing gloves and giving the candy rather then allowing every one to dip into the bowl.
That is what the person who was on with Dr. Gupta was planning on doing, too.

[alien_host]

Great...it's not bad enough that I worry that DD is going to touch a Reeses or a Snickers in the bowl (even with the wrapper it gives me the chills - peanut allergy)....now I have to worry about germs...

I guess it's good I told her this year the Halloween Fairy is going to take her candy Halloween Night while she sleeps and replace it with a toy (I got her the Tinkerbell movie).... ;)

[infomama]

I guess it's good I told her this year the Halloween Fairy is going to take her candy Halloween Night while she sleeps and replace it with a toy (I got her the Tinkerbell movie).... ;)
Dd1 wants that movie in the worst way and I flat out refused to buy it for her (ugh..another movie in the house?!).
That being said, I wonder if she will bite at the offer to trade (most of) her candy for the movie....hmmmmmmm

[LarsMal]

My friend was telling me that Dr. Oz was discussing this on his show, too. He said he's not letting his kids go ToT this year because of H1N1. He said something like, "You know what your kids will be ToT for? Swine flu!"

He did say that if you go out, wipe the candy wrappers off with antibacterial wipes when you get home. I guess that will help some.

I hadn't really thought about it, but it does make sense. Not only the hands in the bowl, but just the crowds of kids going up to the door together.

Oh well, we're not going to skip ToT because of it, but I will be more conscious of crowds/candy/wrappers I guess.

[purpleeyes]

Would it be bad if I lysoled all the candy down? hehee

Ok, seriously, I *actually* considered this. I am so glad to see I'm not the only crazy one. :)

Wipes sounds like a good idea, tho.
Gah! too much to think about!!!

[randomkid]

I hadn't thought of that either, but I've already told DD that we are only going to 10 houses. To her, that seems like a lot. I came up with this number because I counted the homes of our immediate neighbors and one on the next block that we know. I don't want DD to have a ton of candy, so that is why I limited the number, but now I have another good reason. IIRC, most of my neighbors hand out the candy themselves and since we will only go to homes of people we know, I'm not too worried. We will be out early before a lot of the germy hands will be in the bowl and now that this has been posted, I *will* wipe down wrappers - lol!. DD will be wearing gloves with her costume, so they will go straight in the wash and I will have her wash her hands.

FWIW, DD wanted to go ToTing at Sea World as they have it every weekend in Oct and one of her little friends had been. I said no to that because I did think of H1N1. We are avoiding huge crowds, esp theme parks and the malls where tourists shop because people come here from all over the world. It may be irrational, but for some reason, I feel like that increases our risk of exposure.

I always hand out the candy myself. I have just never let kids pick out of the bowl because I don't want them digging around and looking for what they want. I have actually remedied that anyway. One year, I put candy in those little paper treat bags, so they all just got a bag. In recent years, including this year, I have given out small bags of Famous Amos choc chip cookies. They all get the same thing, so no need to dig in a bowl. Only difference this year is that I bought fruit gummies for the little ones.

[Thatchermom]

We have friends whose kids tested positive this week who are taking them out ToT. We usually go with them, but I just can't do it! Even though we have all had it already so wouldn't personally be in danger, I just can't bring myself to be with them while they endanger their whole neighborhood!

You are not nuts for being concerned. There are people bringing it out with them tomorrow night!

[gatorsmom]

See, I guess I don't see how those bowls of candy are any different from the handles on our purses, the kids backpacks, doorknobs, remote controls, drawer pulls, cabinet handles, etc. We touch other things then touch these things a thousand times. Do you wipe down the handles on your refrigerator door? Your drawer and cabinet handles? Your purse handles? The kids' backpacks? Because Gator touch the seats of the school bus, then picks up his backpack, then touchs the safety handles while descending the school bus, then his backpack again to take if off when he gets home. Yes, he does go straight away to wash his hands as soon as he's home but what about that backpack? We don't wipe it off. And the next day, on his way to school he is going to pick up that backpack again and maybe at some point scratch his nose. That's all it takes to get sick.

I'm doing all I can but I won't prevent my kids from experiencing life. I could keep them home all the time and never let them go outside too, but is that really better? I don't see those candy bowls as any more dirty than a thousand other things they touch during the day. I just can't worry about some candy bowls.

[mecawa]

They were talking about this on the local news here last night, (I can't remember if it was Dr Timothy Johnson, or the other guy (pediatrician) his name escapes me) there recomendation was to just not let kids or your kids rummage through the candy bowl, kind of like just grab one and go, they also recomended purell/handwashing as usual, but he also said not to be overly concerned about it (he said he wasn't)especially where the candy is wrapped.

They also said no homemade treats, which is just kind of common sense.

[carolinamama]

See, I guess I don't see how those bowls of candy are any different from the handles on our purses, the kids backpacks, doorknobs, remote controls, drawer pulls, cabinet handles, etc. We touch other things then touch these things a thousand times. Do you wipe down the handles on your refrigerator door? Your drawer and cabinet handles? Your purse handles? The kids' backpacks? Because Gator touch the seats of the school bus, then picks up his backpack, then touchs the safety handles while descending the school bus, then his backpack again to take if off when he gets home. Yes, he does go straight away to wash his hands as soon as he's home but what about that backpack? We don't wipe it off. And the next day, on his way to school he is going to pick up that backpack again and maybe at some point scratch his nose. That's all it takes to get sick.

I'm doing all I can but I won't prevent my kids from experiencing life. I could keep them home all the time and never let them go outside too, but is that really better? I don't see those candy bowls as any more dirty than a thousand other things they touch during the day. I just can't worry about some candy bowls.

:yeahthat:

[egoldber]

:yeahthat:

But I always do the handing out and never let kids pick for themselves. Otherwise they take forever looking for a "good one".

[JTsMom]

:yeahthat: And I let the kids dig, but I try to keep the different choices in groups so it takes less time.

At this point, I'm just hoping the rain stops/slows long enough for DS to ToT!

[randomkid]

See, I guess I don't see how those bowls of candy are any different from the handles on our purses, the kids backpacks, doorknobs, remote controls, drawer pulls, cabinet handles, etc. We touch other things then touch these things a thousand times. Do you wipe down the handles on your refrigerator door? Your drawer and cabinet handles? Your purse handles? The kids' backpacks? Because Gator touch the seats of the school bus, then picks up his backpack, then touchs the safety handles while descending the school bus, then his backpack again to take if off when he gets home. Yes, he does go straight away to wash his hands as soon as he's home but what about that backpack? We don't wipe it off. And the next day, on his way to school he is going to pick up that backpack again and maybe at some point scratch his nose. That's all it takes to get sick.

I'm doing all I can but I won't prevent my kids from experiencing life. I could keep them home all the time and never let them go outside too, but is that really better? I don't see those candy bowls as any more dirty than a thousand other things they touch during the day. I just can't worry about some candy bowls.

I agree, but I may be a little more of a germaphobe than some. That probably comes from working in a hospital where infection control is emphasized everyday. Right now, the thing is "foam in, foam out". We are supposed to use hand sanitizer before going in a patient's room and after coming out - every single time. There are certain things when we are supposed to wash with soap and water as the foam is not sufficient. This is not just for H1N1, but MRSA and a lot of other nasties. I know that people with all of these things are out in our community everyday. Do I wipe down things at home? No, but we do wash hands before we come home and after we get home. I do wipe down refrigerator door handles, shopping carts (not just the handles, but all around the top and the seat - lol!) and the steering wheel in my van. This is not new for me - I have done this for years.

I still take DD out and we do experience life, but for now we are staying away from the theme parks. That's just not worth it to me. Besides, it's still 90 degrees here and the theme parks are not enjoyable for us in this heat!

Honestly, to me, it's just more gross than worrisome when it comes to food. We've had patients on isolation make their way off their floor to the cafeteria where they come in and touch the handles of self serve foods. They aren't supposed to go there, but they do. That just skeeves me out. I rarely eat in that cafeteria for that very reason. I go to our new cafe where all the food is served by the cafeteria workers or I bring my lunch. Same thing with the candy. I just think of a kid wiping their snotty nose or coughing into the bowl. Yeah, I'll likely be cleaning the wrappers. This is not only about H1N1 to me, but even just a cold. It's just icky. :barf:

[jk3]

The thought had crossed my mind but I'm thinking it's a little over the top to get so concerned about this. The kids are in school. Germs are everywhere...

[shawnandangel]

I posted a long rant on facebook about this last night. Another example of the media blowing something out of proportion because they have nothing else to report. I mean, all those soldier deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan have just gotten old after so many years right? Hurry say how many died but don't list their names or any other personal details like you used to, that takes too much time and professional reporting, especially when the all mighty Dr. Oz has come out of the Emerald City to make a speech.

I agree it is a concern but the segments I've been watching on tv are making Trick or Treating seem like Armageddon.

My not so professional medical opinion?:
1. Kids and parents wash hands when they return home.
2. Wipe down candy wrappers with antibacterial wipes.
3. Parents then take candy out of wrappers and put them into zip lock bags.

[DrSally]

When we went last night, all the parents handed out the candy. My DS is not one to dig in a someone else's bowl anyway. My main concern was the peanut issue for DS. We had some wonderful neighbors who specifically bought and gave DS peanut free treats.

[alien_host]

When we went last night, all the parents handed out the candy. My DS is not one to dig in a someone else's bowl anyway. My main concern was the peanut issue for DS. We had some wonderful neighbors who specifically bought and gave DS peanut free treats.

That's nice that the neighbors bought peanut free! I cringe at DD touching a Reeses or snickers, even in the wrapper! I carried the epi pen with me and we washed hands when we got home. Thankfully nothing happened.

But we got our fair share of peanut m&ms and reeses/snickers...not as many as in the past. One neighbor offered snack sized bags of chips (cheetos/lays).

We are in a new neighborhood this year and DD would see the M&Ms and say "but I can't eat these" then I had to go into her food allergies with misc. neighbors we didn't know. I told her we would trade when we got home.

[DrSally]

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