Things Parents Need to Know to Keep Their Babies and Toddlers Safe During Bath Time!

All babies and all toddlers need baths what seems like all the time! Little ones are remarkable good at getting icky and sticky. They should be bathed at least every other day.

Toddlers and babies both love bath time! From the bubbles to the rubber ducky and soft terrycloth towel bath time is a time of fun and learning for little ones.

When toddlers and babies are near water of any amount supervision is required. A child under four should absolutely never be left unsupervised in the tub. There are many reasons why.

First of all a young child can easily drown in even a half full bathtub. Actually it only takes an inch of water in the tub for a baby to drown. Adult supervision is necessary to ensure that the child is safe and not going to drown. Should your little one go under the water you will be right there. You will also be right there to tell them not to put their faces in or under the water because it is not safe. Accidental bathtub drowning can be prevented by parents staying in the bathroom, supervising, during bath time.

Drowning is not the only bath time risk. A hot water heater that is turned up too high can also be a threat. Your child could get scalded by too hot water. The only way to absolutely prevent this is to keep your hot water heater set at 120 degrees. Never turn it all the way up on high. Always remember to carefully test the water before you deems it the right temperature to fill the tub. Test it as it is running to ensure that the tub does not fill with uncomfortably hot water. Even with the temperature turned down on the hot water heater cold water is still needed. Too hot water is uncomfortable, but not scalding. You will know if the water is too hot for your little ones taste if they sit down and then stand right back up refusing to sit down again. Get them out of the tub fast if that happens.

Soaps can pose a threat to toddlers and babies, just as babies and toddlers can pose a threat to the soaps. Little ones do not realize that soap and bubbles are poison when ingested. Parents do. Keep soaps and such out of your little ones reach and stay right there in the bathroom supervising. Toddlers are also known for squirting entire bottles of shampoo or conditioner into their bathwater for more bubbles. Your supervision prevents wasted soaps as well.

Never, ever use electric things such as blow-dryers in the bathroom while your baby or toddler is in the tub. Items like radios may make bath time fun but in a split second a toddler can pull on the cord and it can fall into the water posing a shocking dangerous threat to your precious baby. Once again, always be right there. Supervise every moment of bath time to prevent this and most other dangers.

Slipping and falling is also a bath time danger for little ones. Slippery tub bottoms are a serious risk. If a little one is to slip and fall and crack their head on the tub they will most likely need to go to the emergency room. Prevent this by using no slip bathmats and supervising bath time.

The last potential bath time threat is when parents leave shaving items in the bathroom. Women shave their legs, men shave their faces. We all use razors, don't we? Children don't know that they can get cut with them. If a child sees a blue or pink plastic thing on the shower shelf the will grab for it. They will explore it and probably even put it in their mouths. They will handle it with their fingers and even run it against their skin. They will NOT know that it can cut them. Do not forget to take your shaving supplies out of the bathroom after you are done with them. The only time they should remain in the bathroom is when a locking cabinet is used for bathroom storage of unsafe things. Again, supervision prevents accidents. If once you accidentally forget you will catch your toddler with it before they can become injured so long as you are right there supervising bath time. Stay safe and take care!