Parenting can be a hard, but very fulfilling job. Keeping your child safe should be your first priority. The bathroom is the number one place injuries occur in the household. Bath time can be a fun activity for both you and your child. Supervision is the key to keeping this time a fun activity and a safe activity. Children could easily slip and seriously injure themselves while in the tub. They can also be burned by too hot water and drowning is also risk when supervision is not properly given. Bath time is not the only time a child can be hurt in the bathroom. Children can fall, cut, overdose, ingest poison, electrocute, and burn themselves. These accidents can all occur within a few seconds of being in the bathroom. There are several things you can do as a parent to keep your child safe while in the bath and bathroom.
Proper supervision is the best thing you can do to keep your child safe. Leaving your child alone while they are in the bath, even for a minute, is just begging for an injury to happen. It is never a good idea. It never will be. If the phone rings, let it. Do not leave your child alone to answer the phone. No phone call is more important that your child’s well being. If someone knocks at the door, let him or her. Again, no visitor is more important that your child’s safety. You can write a note and leave it on the outside of the front door, letting visitors know you are unavailable for the next twenty minutes or so. Also, never let your child pull or hang from the shower curtain or shower curtain rod. These can easily be pulled down and cause your child to fall. Most importantly, never leave your child unattended in the bathroom whether they are in the bathtub or not. Poor supervision can lead to a serious injury. Also a great way to ensure bathroom accidents do not occur is to keep the bathroom door closed. If no one is using it, close it, and keep it closed.
Children can easily fall while they are in the bathtub and the bathroom. Bathtubs and floors can be especially dangerous when wet. Avoid accidents, by placing non-skid bath mats and/or adhesive strips in the tub. These items can aid in the safety of your child and can purchased at almost every store. Also, keep water off of the floor. Even the smallest amount of water on the floor can cause a fall. Buying a bathroom rug for your child to step on as they exit the tub will help to ensure a lesser risk of falling. Remember a child falling in the bath and the bathroom can lead to serious head injuries and/or drowning when water is present.
Any sharp object such as razors, scissors, and tweezers all pose a danger to your child. Never leave these items out in the open such as on a counter top, in the bath, or in the trash. Children are very curious beings and shiny objects will always catch their eye. Store these items in medicine cabinets that have childproof locks or in another bathroom or part of the house. Always discard these items into a trashcan your child cannot easily get into. The best thing to do is discard these items into an outside trashcan.
It is never a good idea to store medicines, regardless if they are over the counter, and cleaning supplies under the bathroom sink. Storing these kinds of items under the bathroom sink can lead to an accidental overdose of medicines. When in the hands of children, no medicine is completely safe. Medicines should always be stored in childproof containers in childproofed medicine cabinets. You can also store medicine on top of the refrigerator in the kitchen. Also, storing items such as bathroom cleaners under the sink can lead to death caused by the ingestion of poisons. These products are not safe, not even for you. These items should be stored somewhere else in the house safely away and out of your child’s reach. Medicines and cleaning supplies should always be discarded of safely as well.
Water and electricity do not mix. They never have and never will. Do not leave items such as hairstyling appliances plugged in when not in use. Children can easily pull them off of the counter top into the bath and accidentally electrocute themselves. Also, electrocution can occur when small, wet hands attempt to plug in appliances themselves. This scenario can be avoided by placing covers on plug outlets. Remember to always unplug and properly store appliances when they are not in use.
Burns in the bath and bathroom can be avoided by setting your water heater’s temperature to a comfortable setting. The heater should not be set above 120 degrees Fahrenheit. You should also always check the temperature of your child’s bath water before allowing them to get into the tub. The water should be a little warmer than lukewarm. If you are unsure of the water’s temperature, you can purchase a thermometer or toys that have thermometers placed within them. Teaching your child not to play with the faucets while they are young and later teaching them how to properly use the faucet, as they get older also decreases the risk of burns.
Accidents do happen, but they can be avoided. Using common sense along with these tips can help ensure bath time and time in the bathroom is safe. Remember accidents can happen within seconds, but can cause a lifetime of pain.
