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Tell me what I need to know about bath safety for my infant
Glad you asked. That means you are concerned and preparing yourself for the risks. Now here's what you need to know about bath safety. Most parents are very well-informed about the dangers linked to having infants around a backyard pool or a garden water feature. However, they may not consider the many other places that the danger of possible drowning may occur. Bath safety is a serious issue that is often touched upon but not to the depths of outdoor water safety precautions. Drowning is the number one cause of death related to injury for the age group of one to four years old. The accidents do not always occur in swimming pools, lakes or ponds. Many people can prevent a significant number of these accidents by educating themselves about bath safety. Considering that a child can drown in just two inches of water makes us want to look at the bathroom very closely. More than half of infants who drown each year have the accident in the bathtub. This may come as a surprise to many who are lulled into a false sense of security when placing their baby in specially made seats designed for bath safety. This can be very dangerous because the parent may leave the child unattended for a moment to attend to something else with the false belief that the child is perfectly safe in the bath seat. Drowning can happen in just a few seconds so it is crucial to keep the infant within arm’s reach at all the time. This is a prudent bath safety approach that can save lives. The bathtub is a slippery place and specialized baby bath seats are not to be used in place of supervision. Never leave the infant alone in a bathtub even when the child is securely in his seat.
Consumer Reports - Baby bath seats aren't necessarity the answer. Texas Children's Hospital - More good information on bath safety.
Make sure that you are organized before putting the baby in the tub. Have everything you will need within reach at all times so you will not have to step away from the tub. If you do have to step away, take the baby with you even if this means getting soaked. This is a small price to pay for the baby’s bath safety and it is a good practice to keep at least one hand on the baby during most of the bathing process. Bath safety is not exclusive to the tub. There are other dangers in the bathroom as well. Little ones can also get into trouble in the toilet as well. The infant should never be in the bathroom at all if there is not an adult present. This also means that younger children should not supervise the baby in the bathing area, either. Leaving your five-year-old to watch the baby while you answer the phone is not good practice.
What are the most important crib safety factors? - Not all cribs are safe, which is why crib safety guidelines have been established.
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