How To Keep Your Bathroom Safe For Your Child by Dr. Chetan Ginigeri

1. Never Leave Your Child Alone in the Bathtub

A bathtub full of water is one of the situations where one of the parents should be present with the kid. The risk of drowning is quite high and your child may not know how to cope underwater. If your child is underwater, ensure that they get into bathtub only under adult supervision.

2. Use a Baby Tube

A baby tube helps to keep the kid on the surface of the water and, thus, to reduce any chance of drowning in the water bathtub. It also helps the child to get a safe environment from hurting itself. Parents must buy a baby tube and always make it a habit to use it before putting their child in the bathtub.

3. Avoid Distractions When Your Child is Bathing

Keep away from distractions that could take your attention away from your kid while bathing them. Mobile will make you lose track of time. Turn your mobile to silent and leave it outside the room before giving a bath to the child.

4. Say Yes to Showers

Showers are safer as compared to bathtubs because there is absolutely no risk of drowning. All the kids totally love the fun of getting wet under a shower as it mimics rain. For these reasons, as a parent, opting for a regular bath or shower for your child is always a safer option over tub baths.

5. Test the Water Temperature Before Bath

When giving your child a normal bath or a shower bath, it is essential to check the temperature to make sure it is not too hot or too cold. For regular bathwater, dip your elbow into the water to check the temperature. You can also use a bath thermometer to test the water, thereby, preventing chilling or burning the child.

[Read : 15 Bathroom Safety Tips For Toddlers]

6. Drain Out Excess Water

A bathtub filled with water when not in use is a safety hazard for your child. Make it a habit to remove all the excess water from the bathtub. Your kid can get tempted to get into the bathtub unattended which may get them into trouble.

7.  Keep the Bathroom Locked When Not in Use

There may be situations where you are busy with work or cooking and cannot monitor your child’s every move. Kids are adventurous and wish to do things unmonitored. n such cases, it is always a good idea to keep your bathrooms closed and locked.

8. Use Cushioned Covers on Faucets

In case the child tends to slip in the bathroom, there is a high chance of injuries by banging into faucets or other bathroom equipment. To ensure that your child is safe in all the ways, it is essential to cover your bathroom faucets with cushioned covers. This will also help improve the safety levels of your bathroom and minimize the chances of injuries.

9. Teach Your Child to Wear Bathroom Slippers

Once your kid starts wearing slippers, you can teach them the habit of wearing separate slippers in the bathroom, especially when they are used to walking at home with slippers on. Wearing bathroom slippers reduce the chance of slipping on the bathroom floor. Both parents and children can have their bathroom slippers placed outside the bathroom and wear them when going in. Remember that children learn by example which parents must set.

10. Teach Bathroom Manners to Your Growing Kid

Your child’s security plays a crucial role in the long run. There are a number of things that must be taught to your kid from the very beginning so that they do not face any difficulty while bathing. This includes taking proper measures to avoid slipping, learning to check the water temperature before bathing, avoiding leaving used soaps on the floor, etc.

11. Invest in High-Rise Shelves and Cabinets

If you keep medicines and cosmetics like shampoo, razor blades, moisturizer, etc. in the bathroom, store them in a locked high wall cabinet. Remember, the beautiful design of the shampoo bottle or its fruity smell can attract your child. They tend to taste it. Likewise, the toilet cleaners and bathroom cleaners, bleach, etc. should be safely locked in high wall shelves.

12. Keep Bathroom Floor Dry

A slippery bathroom floor can be unsafe for your child Mop excess water from the bathroom floor after every time, use the bathroom. Also, put anti-skid strips near your bathtub and anti-slide mats under the shower to ensure that your child doesn’t slip and fall and get hurt.

[Read : 10 Tips To Make Bath-Time Fun And Easy]

Additional Bath Time Safety Tips For Infants and Kids

Some additional bath time safety tips for infants and kids include:

• Choosing the right products to use for kids can make a big difference in their safety. When bathing a kid, make sure that the soap, powder, paste, and shampoo you use contain less or no chemicals.
• A child might get entangled in shower curtains, so it is better to remove them.
• With a child in the bathroom, you have to be extra cautious and give them your undivided attention.
• Toys to play within the bath should be chosen carefully. Children can choke on small toys.

[Read : 5 Must-Read Tips For Keeping Baby Safe During Bath Time]

How to Prevent Your Child From Drowning in the Bathtub?

A child’s bathtub must be emptied after the bath. Keeping the water tub dry is one of the most important bathroom safety tips for kids. Among children, drowning is a common threat in the bathroom, which is why this tip is highly recommended.

Keeping your bathroom safe for your child is essential to ensure that they don’t get hurt. Small changes and precautions ensure that your child doesn’t get unnecessarily hurt or get into dangerous situations. While you take precautions, you can also ensure that you teach your children safety measures so that they can keep themselves safe as they grow.

Read Also: Household Safety: Preventing Drowning by Dr. Chetan Ginigeri