Bath safety

• email
• save PDF
• print

Drowning and scalds are the two main risks with bath time.Very young children are prone to drowning because they are top-heavy. About 15% of children who drown do so in the bath. They can slip into or under the water very suddenly. They can also drown without coughing or splashing, so you might not realise they are in danger. 

Young children also have very sensitive skin, which means too-hot baths can scald them very quickly. The safe temperature for a child's bath is between 37°C and 38°C (approximately 36°C for a newborn), whereas adults tend to bathe in water 42°C or 43°C.

The four golden rules for safe baths are:

1. Always supervise babies, toddlers and children under five in the bath.
2. Check the water temperature is between 37°C and 38°C before you put your child in.
3. Get everything ready in advance so you can stay with your child for bath time – towel, face washer, cotton wool, clean nappy and clean clothes.
4. Let the water out as soon as bath time is over.

Tips for safe baths

• Stay with your child for the whole bath. Because drowning can occur in only a minute, beware of distractions that could take you away from the bath and cause you to lose track of time.
• Take the phone off the hook or put on the answering machine before running the bath. If you have to answer the phone or doorbell, take your child with you rather than leaving him in the bath.
• Check the water temperature before putting your child in the bath. Children should bathe at between 37°C and 38°C. Dip your hand in up to the wrist – if your skin flushes, the water is too hot for a child’s skin. You might even want to get a special water thermometer. Read more tips on keeping a safe water temperature.
• Run the hot and cold water together. If you need to increase the temperature, add more warm water, not straight hot water. Running the hot water by itself increases the risk your child will put a hand or foot in the stream and be burned.
• Run only enough water for washing and play. Belly-button height or about 8 cm is plenty for a child who can sit up on his own.
• Turn the taps off tightly. Point mixer taps towards the cold setting.
• Watch your child all the time, even if you are using a bath seat or cradle. A bath seat on its own without your supervision will not keep your child safe. Find out more from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's safety alert on bath aids.
• Let older siblings join in the fun, rather than putting them in charge. Older siblings might not recognise when a small child is in danger, which is why an adult needs to stay with babies and children under five when they're in the bath.
• Empty the bath as soon as you have finished with it. Keep bathroom and laundry doors shut when you’re not using them so that young children can't get to any taps or water sources on their own.

• Rated10 ratingsRate this item
• FeedbackTell us what you think of this item