I couldn't agree more with LoA. Kids will do things that freak you out and just to prepare you, it gets much worse. Wait some 12 to 14 more years. Anyway, mostly you shouldn't worry about them. Keep a cool leveled head. You'll know when something serious is afoot, i promise you that.

If you are that worried about it, get some Grapefruit seed (not grape seed) extract from your local healthfood store. It is a natural, healthy "antibiotic" that kills salmonilla, ecoli, etc. in the body, but is again a healthy thing. Just make sure to go by the directions and mix it with fruit juice or something and use very very very very small amounts as it is really strong and acidic, and Marybeth also is just a youngun.

I hadnt thought about that. I was thinking of the dirty abomination called the mens restroom.

<font color="plum">Relax, <font color="cyan">Larry</font>.

MaryBeth will be just fine. I have 3 boys (from 5 1/2 down to 1 week old) and my wife works for the local pediatricians office. Mothers DO have an instinctive feel for their children's well being.

Ask Karen if she can tell you MaryBeth's temperature with just her hand. She may not have told you about it, but I'll bet she can come within 1.5 degrees every time. It's a mother-thing.

Trust me, dogs are the only creatures that will regularly put disgusting things in their mouth MORE often than toddlers.

As <font color="lightsteelblue">Hunter</font> said, women are unnaturally tidy in the restroom. I daresay your kitchen counter has more germs than the toilet handle in a ladies room. Most women don't even touch it with their hands....they tear off a piece of toilet paper instead.

I honostly feel you have nothing to worry about. The fever is more likely the result of an ear infection or some mild virus. Motrin and Tylenol will handle that 95% of the time.</font>

I don't think you should worry too much Larry. Unless you keep MaryBeth in a vacuum (like Michael Jackson lol), she probably gets into germy things all the time. Coming into contact with germs is good anyway, helps keep the immune system humming. I certainly wouldn't be going to the doctor, unless she actually comes down with something [img]smile.gif[/img]

Larry, Karen is right. Just keep an eye on Mary Beth for a day or two, really the worst that could happen is a little bit of a stomach upset. There are more germs on a washcloth than *in* the average toilet, compared to which the handle would seem surgically clean. It's virtually impossible for germs to survive on shiny ceramic or metal surfaces.

[ 05-30-2002, 08:23 AM: Message edited by: Epona ]

Well, I'm a little late, but, Larry, CHILL! The diseases that anyone can contact by mouth are very few, and these are all called the fecal-oral route. The only germs of that kind to be found in a public restroom ar Hepatitis A and polio, both of which I am sure that MaryBeth is immunized against. Check with her pediatrician.

<font color=skyblue>Thanks, everyone. Come on, you all gotta imagine how scary it was since I did not have your knowledge on diseases and the sanitation grade of that handle. By hearing all of your multiple reasons why there is no worry, I fell better now. Thanks!</font>

That's what friends are for Larry [img]smile.gif[/img]
I can understand why you would be worried!