Water presents a real danger: NEVER, even for a moment, leave your child alone or under sibling supervision in the bathtub, even when the child is in a bath ring or seat. Bath rings are intended for use as bath aids, but they are NOT SAFETY DEVICES! Keep children away from buckets, toilets, pools and other containers of water. Young children can drown quickly in small amounts of water. Hot water can scald. To prevent skin burns always check bath water temperature with your wrist or elbow before bathing your baby.
Safety Tips
- Never, even for a moment, rely on bath rings or seats to keep baby safe in the bath. Never leave a baby alone in a bath ring or seat in the tub. Never rely on a sibling to supervise a baby in a bath tub. Turning away to get a towel, answer the doorbell or telephone could result in the baby drowning.
- All necessary bathing items (soap, washcloths, towels, etc.) should be placed by the tub before your baby goes in.
- Only fill the tub with enough water to cover the baby's legs. This amount of water is sufficient to bathe the baby. However, be aware that babies can drown in a very small amount of water. All it takes is enough water to cover the nose and mouth.
- Securely attach bath seats and rings to a SMOOTH SURFACE. Suction cups will NOT stick to textured, ridged, appliqued, or factory designed non-skid bathtub surfaces. Suction cups will not stick to scratched, chipped, or repainted tub surfaces.
- Parents and caregivers should be trained in basic CPR techniques.
Buckets & Pails
Young children will get into everything! There have been many reports of children who were able to pull themselves to a standing position (around 7 months), fall head first into an open pail and drown.
Safety Tips
- Keep diaper pails tightly closed, and out of the reach of young children.
- Never use open buckets as diaper pails or leave open buckets containing liquids where children can reach them. They pose a drowning hazard.
