Squeaky-clean, fresh smelling kids are great. While bathtime is a fun and essential part of life for children young and old, it can hold dangers many parents may not have considered.

Scalds

Every day in the US, a child under five is admitted to hospital with scalds caused by bath water, with thousands more suffering less severe scalding. Babies and under fives are at highest risk from scald injuries - a baby's skin is 15 times thinner than an adults. Treatment for scalds is long and painful and can result in permanent scarring.

So what can we do to prevent bath water scalds? Safety Organizations recommend that water coming out of the tapshould be no more than 114°F to prevent scalding to young children, so one option is to set your boiler thermostat to this temperature. This may be impractical for many householders (and indeed experts suggest water should be stored at more than 140°F to prevent Legionnaire Bacteria developing) so if your water temperature is hotter, it is important to keep all children away from the bath until to you are satisfied that the water is cool enough; this can be done using a water thermometer, these are widely available. The ideal temperature for babies' baths is between 96°F and 101°F. Always double check with your elbow and never let children touch the taps themselves.

Many accidents occur when children fall into baths, which have already been filled - often intended for another adult - it takes just 5 seconds for a toddler to suffer 3rd Degree burns from water at 140°F.

Thermostatic mixing valves allow you to store water at a high temperature but deliver it from the tap at a safe temperature.

Drowning

Babies topple and roll easily and young children do not understand the risks associated with even small amounts of water, so never leave a baby or child under the age of 6 unattended in the bath, even to get a towel or a nappy - a baby can drown in just 5cm (or 2 inches) of water.

Of the 21 UK children under five who died from drowning in 2002, 14 of them were in the bath. Small children are far more likely to drown in the bath than in a garden pond or swimming pool.

Have everything ready before your children get into the bath, so they need not be left alone: soap, facecloths, towels and toys are all you should really need, so keep them nearby. Bath water should never be more than 2-3 inches for a babies and no higher than waist high for older children (sitting).

Bath Safety Equipment

Baths are slippery places and products like baby bubble bath make them more so; ensure your bath is fitted with a non-slip mat for toddlers and young children. Baby seats and supports are also available to help you wash your baby safely, but this does not mean that your baby can be left alone in the bath. Encourage young children not to stand or jump in the bath, a bump to the head could knock them unconscious.

Children and babies are slippery themselves when they are wet, so handle carefully when lifting them out of the bath.

 

Use Common Sense

When these basic tips are used in conjunction with common sense, your baby, toddler or child can have a happy, healthy and squeaky-clean bathtime.