Small children are curious and quick. Even the best-supervised toddler may escape temporarily from time to time. While constant monitoring is the primary way to ensure your child’s safety, there are other measures that may be taken to reduce danger. Increase water safety around your home, inside and out.

Bathtub Safety
Always supervise small children as they bathe, even if an older sibling is also in the bathtub. Collect necessary bath items before putting the child into the tub so that everything needed is within easy reach. If a bathing seat is used to help a baby remain upright, never leave the little one unattended, not even for a few seconds. Although rare, drowning deaths do occur during bathing seat use.

Outdoor Water Features
Many gardens contain a water feature such as a pond or fountain. While these small pools or fountains are enjoyable, they are also an attractive danger for small children. Consider emptying the feature of water and converting it into a sandpit while the children are young. If this is not possible, cover the feature securely or completely enclose the area with childproof fencing.

Other Potential Drowning Hazards
A bucket, water butt, paddling pool and other containers pose a drowning hazard when water is present. When falling into any type of container that has even a small amount of water inside, small children usually need assistance to get back out. Any container that stores water, such as a water butt, should have a secure lid. Overturn open buckets during storage and empty paddling pools after each use.

Tags: bath, Bathtub, Child, Health, Pond, WATER, water safety

This entry was posted on Monday, November 9th, 2009 at 12:09 pm and is filed under Health, Home, WATER. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.