When my nephew Dylan was born, within days of going home from the hospital, he was back in, diagnosed with a staph infection.  It was a terrifying time for my sister & her husband, as well as the rest of our family, because here was this tiny baby, all of a sudden SO sick.

Thankfully, he recovered and just celebrated his 5th birthday.  Unfortunately, others aren’t so lucky.

According to stopmrsanow.org,  MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) is a type of Staph bacteria found on the skin and in the nose that is resistant to antibiotics. More than 90,000 Americans get potentially deadly MRSA infections every year and in 2005, nearly 19,000 Americans died from MRSA infections. More deaths are linked to MRSA infections than AIDS.
There are two known types of MRSA. You may have heard of Healthcare-Associated (HA-MRSA), which occurs in hospitals and nursing homes, but a newer type of MRSA is Community-Associated (CA-MRSA), which has recently begun to spread in public settings like gyms, locker rooms, households and schools.

Mom Central has asked us to help get the word out to help prevent MRSA.  The following tips will help you keep yourself and your family safe from such a potentially deadly infection.

  Scrub up – Wash hands frequently with soap and warm water for at least 15 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand rub sanitizer. 

  
   Wipe it down – Use a disinfecting bleach solution to wipe down and disinfect hard surfaces. (1 tablespoon of disinfecting bleach diluted in 1 quart of water)

  Cover your cuts – Keep any nicks or wounds covered with a clean, dry bandage until healed.  

  Keep to yourself – Do not share personal items, like towels or razors, that  come into contact with bare skin.

Use a barrier – Keep a towel or clothing between skin and shared equipment.

It’s really not that hard.  It’s basic.  It’s necessary.  Realizing now that I went to the hospital the other day for my mammogram with my hand where I’d jammed it into the asphalt still unhealed, I left myself open for much more than painful breasts.