Childproofing Your Bathroom

Introduction

Second in danger to the kitchen, the bathroom is potentially the most hazardous room in the house. The bathroom poses several water and slippage dangers as well as dangers involving chemicals and bacteria. As adults we understand what is and is not appropriate behavior in the bathroom. However, young children do not understand issues of hygiene and of the possibility of drowning.

Instructions

There are many different childproofing techniques that you can use to make your bathroom a safer or off-limits place for your little ones. As every bathroom is different and you may be restricted by a budget, feel free to choose a few of the tips that are most applicable and important to you. Here are some basic bathroom childproofing tips that may even help mom and dad stay safe as well.

Making your bathroom safe for the whole family

1.Supervision is perhaps the most important childproofing and safety rule. Young children should never be allowed to use the restroom or tub unsupervised. Keeping an eye on your kids while they are in the restroom will significantly reduce the likelihood of a dangerous situation.

2.If you want to make sure that your kids stay out of the bathroom all together, consider installing a hook-and-eye lock high on the outside of the door or by using a childproof cover over the doorknob.

3.A child can drown in as little as an inch of water. This is a huge reason for why the bathroom is so dangerous. Make sure that there is no standing water in your tub or sink and that the toilet has a childproof latch that keeps the lid down.

4.Razors, scissors, nail clippers, tweezers, and other sharp utensils as well as cosmetics, prescription drugs, antacids, aspirin, and mouthwash should all be kept behind locked cabinet doors or at least on a shelf that is too high for your children to reach.

5.Prevent burns by unplugging your blow-dryer, curling iron, and any other appliances that create heat, and make sure to put them away after you use them.

6.Anything with a plug should be kept away from the bath tub, sink and toilet. Water conducts electricity and if you or your baby was in the water and a plugged-in appliance fell in, it could electrocute you.

7.Manually set your water so that the hottest water temperature allowable is 120 degrees Fahrenheit. By doing this you can reduce the likelihood of scalding. Children have sensitive skin and it takes only about three seconds of exposure to hot water for them to receive a serious skin burn.

8.Use non-slip rugs and mats in your bathroom to avoid slipping and falling injuries due to wet floors. Make sure that you have a mat that you can step on as you exit the shower.

9.When you are giving your child a bath it is a good idea to purchase a cover for your tub spout so that your child does not accidentally hit their head on it. Spout covers come in all different shapes and sizes. Some covers are shaped like animals and can perform multiple functions in the bath tub.

10.Set some bath time rules with your children. Teach your little ones to stay seated while they are in the bathtub. Parents should never leave the bathroom if a child is in the tub. If you must leave the room, wrap the child in a towel and bring him with you.

11.Decorations are cute but could potentially be a chocking hazard. Remember that a toddler loves to put things in his mouth and such things as decorative soaps and lotions could easily make him sick if ingested.

12.Teach your kids not to play with the toilet paper. Some parents use a toilet paper saver that prevents the roll of paper from unwinding and getting everywhere.

13.Make sure that when bath time over the tub is drained completely. Remember it only takes a small amount of water for a child to drown.

Other Tips

Many of the childproofing methods of the bathroom are actions that you as a parent need to remember to take. There will not always be a latch or lock to keep your kids safe, so make sure not to let your guard down.