The bathroom poses a hazardous obstacle course for your baby. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, between 1983 and 2009 there were 174 fatal accidents and 300 non-fatal accidents involving bath seats. Most of these accidents happened when babies were left alone in the tub. Baby-proof your bathroom and maintain supervision whenever your baby bathes to prevent serious injury from drowning, burns, poison and electrocution.
Drowning Hazards
Infants can drown in only 2 inches of water, according to the website of Parents magazine. Always supervise baby's bath time. Unsupervised, she could fall face-first into shallow bath water and drown in just few seconds. Instead of leaving your child in the tub, take your child with you to answer the door or phone.
Never leave standing water, no matter how shallow, in tubs or sinks. Toddlers can easily fall head-first into toilets, so use child-safe locks to keep toilet lids closed. Child-proof faucet knobs keep babies from turning on sink or tub water and creating a hazardous situation.
Keep bathroom doors closed and secured with child-safety locks so your baby can't wander in unsupervised.
Poisoning Hazards
Babies explore their world by placing things in their mouths. Toddlers and infants can't tell the difference between candy and some brightly colored pills. Keep all pills, even vitamins, locked in high cabinets, out of your baby's reach. Store all cleaning supplies in child-safe containers if possible and locked in high cabinets. Keep the poison control center phone number posted next to all phones in your home. If you see your child swallow something you believe is poisonous, call the center immediately.
Prevent Burns
Set your water heater to a maximum temperature of 120 degrees F and install anti-scald monitors on each tub faucet to protect your baby's sensitive skin, the editors of Parents suggest. Keep a bath thermometer handy to check water temperature before placing your baby in the tub.
Baby-Proof Bathrooms
Check all bath toys frequently for loose parts, which may be a choking hazard. The Family Doctor website from the American Academy of Family Physicians suggests choosing toddler toys larger than 2 inches long and greater than 1.75 inches in diameter to prevent choking.
Install nonslip stickers or mats on tub floors. Place padding over sharp cabinet corners and the side of the tub to prevent head injuries if your child falls against them. Use bath mats to soak up water splashes, which can make the floor slippery.
Cover all open electrical sockets and use ground fault circuit interrupters, known as GFCI, to prevent accidental electrocution. Never leave electronic appliances, such as curlers and radios, plugged in near water.
Baby-Sitting Safety
Never bathe a child you are baby-sitting unless the parent specifically asks, recommends Kids Health, a website from the Nemours Foundation. If your baby-sitting charge gets dirty during playtime or after lunch, use a wet washcloth to wipe him clean. If you don't feel comfortable bathing your charge, be open with the parents. Request that you wait until the parents return home to put children in the bathtub, if possible.
