Lindau - Motivational help in children's hygiene
- Written by Portal Editor
In addition to regular cleaning of skin and hair, skin care, hair care, dental and oral care as well as cleaning and care of fingernails and feet are part of body care, especially for children.
Especially with children, a special motivation is often necessary, which then receives strong support if the hygienic facilities are also designed to be child-friendly. Here the Gitzenweiler Hof campsite can only be described as a role model, because we have rarely seen such a motivating facility. We almost went for a round of brushing our teeth to try it out.
Historical background to the importance of body care
Personal hygiene was more or less sensible in the individual epochs, but has always been practiced. In ancient Rome there was a highly developed bathing culture, which we have reported on in detail in many articles. However, this was largely lost with the collapse of the empire in western and central Europe. But not in the eastern half of the empire or the Byzantine Empire. The Ottoman Empire later continued the local bathing tradition with the further development into Haman. The Romans mainly cleaned their skin with perfumed oils and a scraper called a strigilis. However, cleaning the skin with early forms of soap was already known in other cultures. Soap in its current form was probably created in the 7th century.
As strange as it may sound from today's point of view: well into the 18th century, even doctors in Europe were of the opinion that water and air were harmful to the body. Clothing served as protection from these “harmful” elements. The consequences were epidemics, plague and Colera, which killed large parts of the population. The powdering also served the purpose of closing off the body from the outside. This attitude only changed with the development of programmatic hygiene in the bourgeois 19th century. At that time, the industrial revolution made possible i.a. the mass production of soap. However, the standard installation of showers and washbasins in apartments only took place from the middle of the 20th century, which we hardly want to admit today.
Health has a high priority today
The aim of body care is primarily to cleanse dirt, avoid illnesses and body odors that are perceived as inappropriate, depending on the culture. For example, by using cosmetics to cleanse and care for the skin, people try to reduce their natural sweating and associated odor in order to “feel good in their skin” or appear desirable. Until a few years ago, the health aspect took a back seat to the cosmetic aspect in the industrialized countries.
Excessive cleanliness can have a negative effect on health. Water and other cleaning agents not only remove sweat and body odors, but also attack the water-fat film on the skin. Frequent washing, showering or bathing can be problematic, especially with dry skin, and can cause eczema, for example.
If personal hygiene is neglected over a longer period of time, the lack of hygiene can lead to infections. In addition to a strong body odor, dead skin cells, sweat and dust form brownish crusts that cause the skin to become bloated and sore. Ulcers can occur on the legs and skin irritation and inflammation, including abscesses, can occur, especially in the genital area. Inadequate oral hygiene leads to caries and periodontitis; Teeth are exposed or break off, making eating difficult or painful, which can result in malnutrition.
Attractive facilities promote awareness of hygiene
Especially with the progress of the pandemic, personal hygiene, especially washing your hands, has come to the fore again, which actually applies to all areas of the body. Dental care is particularly important. Sometimes difficult to explain, the child-friendly furnishings of the bathrooms help enormously, even if you get used to them over time.
However, this is hardly to be expected here at the Gitzenweiler Hof campsite, since the stay is always limited in time. However, how strong the children's influence is when choosing a campsite due to the facilities could certainly provide information about how much such an investment actually affects the number of visitors. We are convinced that the investment here was perfect, which the number of visitors will certainly confirm.
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