National Bath Safety Month

January is National Bath Safety Month and we want everyone to know the risks associated with bathing. It’s a rather unpopular topic but the main groups affected are babies/young children and the elderly. Bathing is a major hazard for these age groups and we want everyone to be aware. Below we are providing safety tips for both age groups. Take proper care if you are taking care of anyone who may need assistance while bathing.

Infant/Child Bath Safety Tips

1. Stay with your child. It is recommended that children who are 4 and under need adult supervision when they are bathing.
2. Prevent slips by using a special plastic mat that sits inside the tub or shower. Also, make sure the rugs on the bathroom floor are slip resistant as well.
3. Test the temperature before placing your child in the water. A way to help decrease too hot of water is to change your water heater’s high temperature to 120 degrees to lower the risk of scalding. You can also purchase anti-scald devices for faucets.
4. Beware of share edges. Anywhere your child can potentially reach should remain clear of anything sharp such as razors. You should also make sure faucet heads are covered, glass doors are shatter proof, and that bath toys don’t have hard edges or points.
5. Don’t overfill the tub. Babies only need an inch or two of water to bathe and for children, never fill the tub higher than their waist. This will help minimize the potential for an accidental drowning.
6. Don’t depend on Bath Seats. These are great as they hold children in a specific spot, but the child still shouldn’t be left alone. Don’t think of this as a supervision substitute it’s more of an aid to keep your child clean.
7. Learn CPR. Just in case and accident does happen, it’s better to be completely prepared and certified to help save your child’s life.

Senior Bath Safety Tips

1. Prevent slips by using non-slip strips or mats in the tub or shower.
2. Install reachable safety handles for climbing in and out of the tub or shower and by the toilet as well.
3. Use non-slip rugs on the the bathroom floor.
4. Keep the bathroom floor clean and dry.
5. Keep a portable phone in the bathroom in case of emergencies.

Free Downloads

Guide to Firsts: Bath Time

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Sources: BabyCenter, Quicken Loans, Kansas City Health & Wellness Magazine, Scholastic,