Toddler-proofing your bathroom
The bathroom is one of the smallest rooms in the house, and like the kitchen, it can be full of hidden dangers to adventurous toddlers. Here are some ways to toddler-proof your bathroom to keep your little one safe:
- Always supervise your child in the bath or shower. A child can drown in only a tiny amount of water, or slip in the shower and be badly hurt. Never leave a child unattended in the bath or shower.
- Keep the toilet lid down and install a toilet lock to keep your baby from lifting the lid. Children love water play and the toilet can seem like a very tempting, fun place for them to play. Besides being unsanitary, the toilet can also be dangerous. Children leaning over to peer into the toilet bowl or reach for a dropped toy can fall in and be unable to upright themselves, and can drown.
- Place a child-proof knob cover over the doorknob to the bathroom so that your child can't find his way in there when you're not looking.
- Keep cosmetics, shampoo, shower gel, bathroom cleaners, and any other potentially toxic items locked in a cabinet out of your child's reach. Install child-proof latches on the bathroom cabinets.
- Keep all medications, vitamins, supplements, mouthwash, antacids, and prescription drugs in a locked cabinet out of your child's reach. Iron pills and multivitamins can be dangerous for young children, as can herbal remedies and supplements that are intended for adults.
- Keep any electrical appliances, such as hair dryers, electric shavers, hot rollers, curling irons, straightening irons, and any other appliances that create heat, out of your child's reach. Unplug them after using them and store them where your children can't get to them.
- Keep nail scissors, clippers, razors, trimmers, tweezers, and any other sharp objects well out of your child's reach. Store them in a latched drawer or high up in a cupboard.
- Put non-slip rubber mats or decals in the tub, and place a non-slip mat on the floor next to the tub and shower.
- Teach your baby to stay seated in the tub at all times. This can be a difficult lesson to teach, especially for active babies and babies who are learning to pull up on furniture. But if you repeat the message and get it to sink in, it will be well worth it. Children can slip and hurt themselves on the sides or the tub or the faucets, or slide under the water and drown.
- Teach your baby not to touch the taps, even the cold tap. Taps can remain hot for a long time after the bath water has been run, and can burn their delicate skin. If you are able, fit the tub taps with soft padded tap covers.
- Set your hot water thermostat to no higher than 49 degrees C. A lower water temperature reduces the chance of a child getting scalded by too-hot water.
