Safety Warning – Bathing Aids For Babies
Water and babies can be a dangerous mix. Drowning is the leading cause of traumatic death in children under five in Queensland. Most of these drownings occurred when children were left alone in baby bath seats. The products can be called bath rings, bathing cradles or infant bath seats.
These products are NOT safety devices. Parents and careers should use these products with caution as children have died when using these products.
The Office of Fair Trading does not advocate the use of these products because they may lull parents or caregivers into a false sense of security making them more inclined to leave the child alone in the bath. If parents or caregivers were aware of the danger they would never leave a child alone in the bath.
Fatalities and injuries:– Queensland Injury Surveillance Unit (QISU) data indicates that drowning accounts for a quarter of injury associated childhood deaths in Queensland. Based on QISU data, at least two children under five years drown in the bath each year in Queensland. The median age of these children is 10 months. Bathtub drownings have an equal male to female ratio.
Most bathtub drownings occurred when parent or carer supervision was interrupted, for example when the doorbell or telephone rang, or when the baby was left in the care of other young children.
For every toddler who drowns, three or four others are admitted to hospital following an incident involving water. These children have up to a 20% risk of brain damage due to lack of oxygen.
Risks:– Babies and young children do not understand the concept of danger, and are not aware of the risks associated with water.
Baby bath seats, or the presence of other children, are no substitute for adult supervision. Babies and children can slip out of a bathing aid and drown if left unattended, even for only a few seconds.
What you can do:–
- Never leave a baby alone in a bath, even for a few moments to answer the door or telephone – if you must leave, take the baby with you.
- Use only the minimum depth of water required to wash the baby.
- Don’t leave babies in the care of other young children.
- Baby bath seats should never be used without adult supervision. However, if you must use one DO NOT use it on an uneven surface or where the enamel is worn – always keep the child at arms length.
- Never leave even a small amount of water in a bath – empty it immediately after use.
- Consider learning CPR first aid – it can save a life when the seconds count.
Our thanks to the Queensland Department of Fair Trading for permission to reproduce this article.
Disclaimer:– This fact sheet aims to provide consumers with a general understanding of their rights and responsibilities in the Queensland marketplace. It is not a comprehensive statement of the law. The laws referred to in this fact sheet are complex and various qualifications may apply to the provisions in different circumstances. You are encouraged to obtain independent legal and financial advice if you are unsure how these laws apply to your situation. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained within this document, the Queensland Government disclaims all responsibility and all liability (including without limitation, liability in negligence) for all expenses, losses, damages and costs you might incur as a result of the information being inaccurate or incomplete in any way, and for any reason. © The State of Queensland (Department of Justice and Attorney-General) 2007