Keeping your kids safe in the bathroom

Avoid potential dangers by following common-sense advice and supervising

Ever y year, more than 43,000 children receive emergency treatment for injuries received in the bathtub and shower, according to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. But those aren’t the only places in the bathroom that children under 6 can get hurt — toilet bowls, unlocked cabinets and wet floors can also be treacherous. The right time to child-proof a bathroom is before your baby starts crawling, but there are several suggestions below that you can take care of even earlier. Take a look at the top tips:

Never leave a young child alone in the bathroom, even for a few moments.

Even if you’re sure your tot is safe, the harsh reality is they’re not. Babies and toddlers can drown in just a few inches of water, reports the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). If that ringing doorbell can’t wait, take your child with you to answer it.

Empty the tub after ever y bath.

Don’t wait until you’ve put your child to bed to do this. Your curious child may walk back into the bathroom when you’re not looking.

Make the tub bottom and bathroom floor non-slipper y sur faces.

It’s easier than you think for a child to slip on a wet area and get hurt. To guard against that, put a rubber mat in the tub before turning on the water, and immediately wipe down any wet flooring.

Install a toilet seat lock.

Besides the bathtub, toilets pose a danger to young children, such as drowning and poisoning from bacteria (from drinking toilet water) and chemicals (ingesting cleaning agents in the water).

Don’t rely on older siblings to bathe younger ones.

Unless the brother or sister is an adult, siblings — even if they’re loving and responsible — shouldn’t be put in charge of bathing a baby or toddler. They’re still children themselves.

Keep the water at a moderate temperature.

By setting the temperature on your hot water heater to no more than 120°F (49°C), as recommended by the CPSC, you’ll help prevent your child from getting scalded by ver y hot water from a sink or tub faucet.

Leave your blow-dr yer in a safe place.

You may be careful to keep medicines (prescribed and OTC) in a place your child can’t reach, but did you know blow dr yers also present a threat to kids? If you leave it on a sink or in a low cabinet, your child can get ahold of it and subsequently get burned. Other dangerous items to keep out of kids’ reach are razors, curling irons and cleaning products.

Keep the door shut.

When little ones star t to crawl and walk, a door that’s closed will be less intriguing.

GETTY IMAGES Bathtubs pose one of the biggest risks in the bathroom. Small children can slip and fall or even drown in shallow water.