Preparing Your Home to Prevent Infection

Why Infection Prevention at Home Matters

Cancer treatments such as chemotherapy can lower white blood cell counts, weakening your child’s immune system and increasing the risk of infection. Germs that are usually harmless can cause serious illness during this time. Because your child spends much of their time at home, infection prevention at home plays an important role in protecting their health during cancer treatment.

Taking steps to reduce germs, such as avoiding contact with people who are sick, maintaining a clean home environment and practicing good hand hygiene, can help lower the risk of infection, prevent hospital visits and support your child’s recovery.

Avoid Contact with Ill Visitors

One of the most important ways to prevent infection is limiting your child’s exposure to illness.

• Do not allow visitors who are sick or who have recently been around someone with a contagious illness.
• Ask friends and family to postpone visits if they have symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, or a rash.
• Encourage all visitors to wash their hands as soon as they enter your home.
• Consider limiting visitors during cold and flu season or when your child’s blood counts are low.
• Avoid crowded places and close gatherings. These settings increase your risk of coming into contact with someone that is sick.

Protecting your child from illness is a vital part of their cancer treatment and recovery. If you are unsure whether a visit is safe, it is always okay to say no. Your child’s health comes first.

Reducing Exposure to Dust, Mold and Fungus

Certain types of mold and fungus found in the environment can cause infections in children with weakened immune systems. Aspergillus (as-per-JILL-us) is a fungus that is always present in the air we breathe. It can cause sinus infections and pneumonia. The pneumonia caused by Aspergillus is serious, and current treatments do not work as well as we would like.

To reduce risk:

• Prevent the build-up of dust on surfaces. Aspergillus is commonly found in dust. When dusting, try to prevent the dust from flying in the air. For cleaning most surfaces, use a cloth dampened with a disinfectant such as Lysol. On wood surfaces, a cloth sprayed with a product like Endust or Pledge will help prevent dust from flying into the air.
• Reduce your child’s exposure to dust. Try to avoid having your child exposed to dust in the air as you are cleaning by removing them from the area being cleaned.
• Maintain a clean air conditioner/furnace filter. Inspect your air filter at least once each month and replace if dirty. Most air filters should be replaced every 4-6 months.
• Wipe down/clean the return air vent covers, as they also accumulate dust.
• Provide an air purifier. You may want to use a room air purifier that contains a high-efficiency particulate air filter to help clean the air in the room where your child spends the most time. You can buy one of these portable air purifiers at most department and discount stores.
• Keep the carpet clean. Vacuum often. Vacuum cleaners that contain high efficiency filters work best. You might want to remove carpet that has become badly soiled. Also, regularly maintain the vacuum's filter and dispose of collected dirt/debris immediately after for bagless vacuums.
• Remove visible mold. Mold (or “mildew”) that forms on shower walls, shower curtains and bathtub grout should be removed promptly.
• Avoid dusty areas outdoors. Avoid construction sites and dirt or gravel roads because of airborne dust that contains Aspergillus.
• Wear a mask. We can provide masks that, when worn properly, are very effective in filtering Aspergillus out of the air. Your child’s doctor or nurse will tell you if your child should wear a mask and will show you how to use it.

Inside the hospital, we combine high-efficiency air filters and frequent cleaning to keep the amount of fungus in the hospital air low. The air quality inside patient care areas is tested regularly.

If you have any questions about Aspergillus infection, please ask your doctor or nurse.

Explore More Ways to Protect Your Child from Infection

Get additional information on infection prevention to keep your child safe during cancer treatment. From handwashing tips to managing illness at home, these resources provide practical advice tailored to your family’s needs.