As an adult, we walk into a bathroom and turn on the tub or shower, arrange a bath mat, get out a towel and adjust the temperature of the water. Babies and young children do not have the skills to get the bathroom and shower/tub ready for bath time thus we adults must childproof that room for them.
One of the easiest ways to avoid bathroom injuries is to make sure the bathroom is not accessible to young children. Whether it is installing a latch on the door, where they cannot reach it or making sure that locks can be unlocked from the outside of the door, you can take preventative steps to reduce injuries. This is especially true as, according to the Center for Disease Control, drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional injury death worldwide, accounting for 7 percent of all injury-related deaths and the highest drowning rates are children 1-4 years of age.
The author of this bog post wanted to share tips from the web page of healthychildren.org. These include:
- As children can drown in just a few inches of water, it is important to always supervise them, always. Even if the telephone rings or someone is at the door, make sure to take the child with you. You can always go back to bath time, if needed.
- Water Temperature is important to be the proper temperature to ensure that children to not get scalded. It is recommended that the water heater should not be more than 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Before placing the child in the water, place a wrist or elbow in the water to ensure that it feels warm, not hot, to the touch.
- Slips and Falls can happen at any time, but by preparing the room first, those chances can be reduced or prevented. Install no-slip strips on the bottom of the bathtub, place a cushioned cover on the water faucet, close the toilet seat and install a toilet lid lock.
- Medicine and toiletries should always be stored up, away, out of sight and in a locked cabinet. Many types of child safety devices are available if you do not have a locking cabinet.
- Electric appliances, especial hair dryers and razors can be a hazard, even if there is not water around.