Health Tip: Never Leave a Child Alone in the Tub

By
Diana Kohnle
March 23, 2008, 11:19 PM ET
1 min read

Mar. 23 -- (HealthDay News) -- Young children -- not just infants -- still need strict supervision during bath time to prevent burns, drowning and other accidents.

Here are some suggestions for bath time safety, courtesy of the American Academy of Family Physicians:

  • Never leave a child unattended in the bathtub, even for a few seconds. Don't entrust an older child to watch a toddler, either.
  • If you have to answer the door or the telephone, take the child with you.
  • Always test the water in the bathtub yourself before immersing your child. A child's sensitive skin can burn easily from water that's too warm or hot.
  • Keep all electrical appliances -- radios, hair dryers, curling irons, etc. -- far away from the tub.