Toys in CF clinic

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anonymous

New member
Just wondering if your CF clinic has toys for the Cf kids to play with during clinic. Our local clinic brings my daughter toys to our room(they are good about keeping patients separated). They say after each patient plays with the toy they clean them for use by others. However, I beginning to wonder if even this practice is ok. Like how would you clean a doll that has fabric(doll clothes etc) I'm wondering if I'm better off bringing a supply of our own toys to clinic and not using theirs. What do yall think?

Rebecca (mom to Sammy 7 no CF and Maggie almost 3 with CF)
 
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anonymous

New member
Our CF Clinic has toys in their waiting room, but I just feel it's better safe than sorry to use those. Don't know if they clean them at all, use bleach or disinfectant... So we bring a bag with snacks, juice, coloring books and toys. Also a portable DVD player with his favorite movies. He still tries to escape, but I'm just not going to risk it.
 
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JazzysMom

New member
I guess the biggest problem is this. Even if they do clean thoroughly. If a child develops a bacteria, how do you know if they got it from playing with the toys are not. If you are in doubt.....bring your own. The clinic would not mind and you will feel safer. This isnt much different then a non CF child going to the doctors and being tempted to read books or play with whats there. You are in a doctors office either way & germs will exist. The difference is its not just a cold that will go away in a few days that we are worried about.
 
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anonymous

New member
Rebecca,
I try to keep my kids from touching anything at the clinic. I would stay far away from those toys. I have read two studies that back this up. One study found bacteria on books in a doctors office. The other found doctor's ties to have bacteria on them as well. Yuck! The day I read the study on line last year (about the doctor's ties) my son had been to the doctor that day and he actually grabbed his doctor's tie. I almost printed out the article and sent it to the doctor. The study recommended that doctors wear bow ties or no ties at all.
Sharon, mom of Sophia, 4 and Jack, 2 both with cf
 
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lflatford

New member
Our CF clinic waiting room does not have any toys....thankfully! However, when we go back to see the doctor they give my daughter toys to play with that she can keep. Like bubbles, bouncing balls or balloons. Everything they give her we take home with us. This is a great idea and all CF Clinics should do this!!!! Maybe you can make a reccomendation to yours.
 
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anonymous

New member
Thank you for your replies. I always get nervous about stethescopes, while we're talking germs. They go from patient to patient listening to their chests. I know they are supposed to clean them off with alchohol in between and some of them do in front of you but some do not. Also, the toys you bring to clinic(your own) do you worry somehow you could take the germs home from clinic that way? Do you throw the toys away after? Sorry to sound like such a worrywart but my daughter was so sick this past summer and now is well and I will do what ever it takes to keep her that way!!

Rebecca(mom to Sammy 7 no CF and Maggie almost 3 with CF)
 
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anonymous

New member
Someone sent me some buttons that say "Have you washed your hands. And your stethescope, too?" I haven't been brave enough to put one on dd yet, but we have one doctor who I never see wash his hands or use that antibacterial foam. Makes me sooo edgy.
 
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4kidsmom

New member
This drives me nuts too, they have a play train that my 4 year old loves to play with and all the kids are right there beside each other, I am a nervous wreck. I now tell my son, if he is good and sits by mom I will take him to the vending machine & Mcdonalds, it has been working. Plus he takes his headphones and listens to music- at 4 years old!

Angie
Step mom to Brittany 13 no cf
Mom to Tyler 12 no cf, cf carrier
Mom to Brady 4 with cf
Mom to Taylor 3 no cf, but chromosome 9q deletion q 21.2 q 22.1
 
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anonymous

New member
Our clinic removes all toys on CF clinic days. I personally WOULD NOT let my daughter (2) play with ANY of the toys at the hospital - especially cloth ones. Anytime we have an appt (we haven't been in the hospital yet) we bring a bag of toys from home for her to play with. She loves it bc they are either new toys or ones that she hasn't seen in a long time. I know that everyone has a different comfort level and have heard of CF kids playing together in the hospital (freaks me out just hearing about it!!) so you just have to do what feels best/right to you.
 
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kybert

New member
i wouldnt even let a non cf child play with waiting room toys. its just too gross. imagine all the saliva, fecal matter and grub trapped in gaps and scratches on those toys that cleaning cant remove. you may as well go rub yourself on a toilet seat <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif" border="0">

good point about the stethescope. i have never ever known a doc to clean their stethescope between patients and it has been something that has always worried me. perhaps i should ask docs if they clean theirs and if not, could they clean it before they use it on me.
 
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anonymous

New member
I am so absolutely terrified that DD is going to get the big bad cepacia that I hold on to her on clinic days until we're assigned our room. I hide in a corner until they call our name 'cuz they still have toys in the waiting room, books and a community waiting room!!! The stupid doctors think it's more important for the parents and children to interact/socialize since some om them come from very very far away. They claim nobody has cepacia, but how would they know until AFTER clinic day when culture results come thru. Plus I do know of a local person who attended clinics and was awaiting a transplant, but had cepacia, so the U of M wouldn't take him. BTW, a friend of a friend takes their little boy to U of M -- supposedly best in the nation and they didn't KNOW CFers shouldn't be in contact with each other -- they were letting him play in the play room with all the toys and kids.
 
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melleemac

Guest
I have never allowed my boys to play with toys in the c f clinc, drs office or in any type of indoor play structure place. The risk is just too high for my liking. As well as that the boys carry little bottles of purell around with them to clean their hands .
Mel
 
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anonymous

New member
Our clinic has no toys in the waiting room. As a matter of fact there are usually no other people in the waiting room when we get there and they immediately put us in a "clean" room. Also, I bring purell with me to Bennett's pediatrician and ask EVERY person after entering the room to use it. One nurse really gave me trouble about this once but after I spoke with the doctor she was more than willing to use it IN FRONT of me. Also, I will ask each doc to wipe the scope off before touching either on of my kids.

Lastly, I never wait in the waiting room for either one of my sons. They know now when we are coming we need to go to a room immediately or I go back to the car and have them call me on my cell phone to come in when ready. They have been very good about this practice.

A funny story off the topic - today at Jameson's gymnastics class he announced to the whole class that he was not allowed to drink from the water fountain b/c his mother said "it is loaded with germs". I was a bit imbarassed but proud of him for not "following the croud!" - He is my five year old without CF!
 
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