8 Tips to Make Your Bathroom Safe for Kids

Kids are the greatest source of enjoyment in the lives of many parents. So it only makes sense for every parent to take the necessary precautions to make the lives of their children as easy and pain-free as possible, especially at an early age. Here are 8 actionable tips to make your bathroom safer for children:

1) The number one bathroom safety tip for children is to NEVER leave a child under the age of six unattended in the bathtub, even for “just a minute”. If a baby slips or rolls and lands face down, he or she may not be able to turn over. A very young child can drown in only 2.5 to 5 cm (an inch or two) of water. Older children can turn on the hot water and scald themselves, or bang their head on the hard tub or the taps, perhaps even knocking themselves unconscious.

Make sure you have anything you may need (toys, towels, clean clothes, telephone…) in the bathroom before you put your child in the tub. In a particularly tragic recent incident in Toronto, a mother left her two young girls (aged two and 10 months) alone in the bathtub for just a moment while she went to get a mop to clean water spills off the floor so the girls wouldn’t slip when she took them out of the tub. When she returned, the ten-month old had drowned. If you must leave the bathroom, wrap your child in a towel and take him or her with you.  Don’t let children’s bathing aids such as a bath ring give you a false sense of security.  Babies can still tip over, or get trapped under them.  Don’t assume that you can leave the tap running and the drain open, and the tub won’t fill up. There have been numerous incidents of the drain closing or clogging, and the water rising in the tub, sometimes with tragic results.

2) Always leave the lid of your toilet down. Toilets are also drowning hazards, especially for children younger than three.  Young children’s heads are oversized for their bodies, and their neck muscles not yet fully developed. It’s easy for a top-heavy child to fall headfirst into a toilet, but hard for them to lift their heads out.

3) Better yet, keep the bathroom door closed to keep young children out of the bathroom without supervision. Install a child-proof cover on the doorknob so they can’t twist the knob. If your child is a determined explorer, consider putting some type of sliding or hook and eye lock or latch high up on the door.

4) Guard against burns. Set the water temperature to a maximum of 50 degrees C (120 F) to prevent the possibility of accidental scalds. For added protection, you can install an anti-scald valve or device. Never run the hot water while the child is in the tub – they may place a hand or foot under the running water, scalding their tender skin.A colourful, kid-friendly faucet cover is a good investment. These avoid your child accidentally coming into contact with a hot faucet, and also shield them from bumping themselves on the hard taps. It’s a good idea to put your child in the tub with his back to the taps to discourage him from touching them.  The recommended bath water temperature for children is between 37°C and 38°C (36°C for a newborn). A child can be scalded in under a second when the water temperature is around 65°C. Any cooler than 37°C can lower your child’s normal body temperature.  Make sure you swirl the water before putting your child in the tub to avoid any hot or cold spots. Test the water temperature using the inside of your wrist, remembering that children’s sensitive skin requires a cooler water temperature than an adult’s. You can double-check the tub water temperature with a bath thermometer.

5) Guard against electric shock. Electricity and water are a dangerous combination. Unplug any small electrical appliances (curling iron, hair dryer, electric razor, etc.) after use to ensure that can’t cause electrical shock if they fall or are knocked into the tub.  Cover outlets with childproof caps to prevent electrical shock, and make sure bathroom outlets are protected by ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI) to safeguard against electrocution.

6) Guard against slips and falls. Bathrooms are full of hard, slippery surfaces. Wet tubs and/or floors are especially hazardous. Be quick to wipe up any water that has splashed on to the floor. If a child does slip, they are likely to fall against an unforgiving surface such as a tub, tap, toilet, or counter.  Teach your child never to stand up in the tub. If your tub doesn’t feature a non-slip bottom, place a non-slip mat or appliqués on the bottom of the tub. Any rugs or bath mats should also be non-skid. You can buy padding that fits snugly over the top edge of the tub to cushion the hard surface, or just drape a thick towel over the tub side. If you dampen it, it will be less likely to slide off the side. Another way to prevent the risk of falling is to invest in a walk-in tub or walk-in shower. These have built-in contraptions and features like non-slip mats, handle bars and easy-to-open doors that will keep any child or senior safe from the devastating threat of a fall.

7) Disinfect your child’s bath toys. A less obvious hazard is bacteria breeding in bath toys, especially those that are spongy, wooden or porous. Always squeeze as much water as possible out of the toys after each bath, particularly toys with holes in them. If possible, run your child’s bath toys through the dishwasher weekly, or soak them in a bleach and water solution (one tablespoon of bleach to a gallon of water) for two or three minutes every couple of weeks.

8) Scout it out.  Always be aware of other possible hazards lurking in a typical bathroom, including medications, razors, and even toiletries.  Be extra vigilant if you have visitors or house guests who aren’t used to having to “kid proof” their homes.

There is a wealth of fun bath toys and kid-friendly bubble baths and toiletries out there, and something special about snuggling a fresh-scrubbed child just out of the tub. With a few common sense precautions, bath time can be one of the highlights of your child’s day, and yours!

Beth Wallace is a Safety Specialist for Canadian Safe Step Walk-In Tub Co. She visits homes to show seniors how they can keep their home safe. Her #1 goal is to ensure that every senior has a safe, stress-free and relaxing bathing experience. She is a clear advocate of every person’s right to stay independent in their own home. Follow Beth’s passion for making senior’s lives better on Google+ and Twitter.