Bathrooms can be a very dangerous place for kids. We often take it for granted that our children will just be in those places for brief amounts of time, but it's imperative to childproof bathrooms as soon as your children are using them on a regular basis. We have some tips to get you started.
- Make sure the hot water heater is set at 120 degrees F or lower to avoid scalding (48 degrees C).
- Keep the bathroom door closed when not in use.
- When filling a bathtub, always run the cold water first and then add hot to make it warm, so that hot water is never running into the tub.
- Always test bathwater before placing your child into the bathtub.
- Use non-slip strips or a bathmat in the bathtub, and use a faucet protector to avoid bumped heads.
- Never leave children unattended in the tub. It is too easy to get distracted with a phone call or a news report on the TV, and it only takes a second for an accident to occur.
- Remember a child can drown in less than 1” of water.
- Once the kids are taken out of the bathtub, drain water immediately.
- Always keep the toilet lid closed.
- Keep all medicines up high and in locked cabinets.
- Unplug and store hair dryers, curling irons, and razors (my daughter cut herself pretty badly with one while on vacation) when not using them.
- Be aware of what you throw in the trash that kids can get into, such as disposable razors, lids from shampoo bottles and batteries.
- Keep all bathroom and toiletry products in a cabinet with a childproof lock.
