Bathroom Safety for Your Baby

Nowadays, most Canadian parents know the basics of how to keep their baby safe from danger. We’re living in an age where information and experience can easily be shared over the internet and most of us have a well educated doctor to ask questions to. However, we still think it’s worthwhile to write about your bathroom safety for Baby.

Everything Within Reach.

Babies and toddlers can drown very quickly and in only a couple centimetres of water. Which is why it’s important to never leave your small child alone in the bath. Arrange the bathmat, soap, shampoo, toys, towel, and anything else you may need within easy reach, and remember that even if your phone rings from the other rooms, nothing is more important that your baby’s safety — you can call them back once the bath is done.

Toilet Locks.

This one is less for newborns and more for the ever-curious toddlers. Many young children find the swooshing water of a toilet endlessly fascinating, and the only thing better than flushing the toilet again and again and again is watching things disappear down the plumbing. While it can be tricky to establish a balance between accessibility to the toilet for potty-training and not losing your favourite jewelry down the porcelain, we definitely recommend toilet locks for any parents with young kids who are too inquisitive for their own good.

Anti-Scalding Protection.

Next to drowning, scalding is a huge danger to small children. Their skin is thinner than an adults which means they can be burned more badly by less extreme temperatures. Their small body size also means they can overheat faster and are less able to control their internal body temperature by sweating. Fortunately, there are a few options for anti-scalding.

You can talk with your local, Calgary plumber about which temperature to set your hot water tank to. You’ll need the tank to stay hot enough to kill bacteria and mould growth, but even bringing the tank down to 50°C or a little lower can help. You may also want to buy anti-scalding valves or TAFR for your tub and sinks. A TAFR or Temperature Activated Flow Reducer, will automatically shut the water from the faucet or shower off if it becomes too warm. An anti-scald valve reacts to sudden changes in water pressure from either (or both) the cold and hot pipes (for example when someone flushes the toilet, the cold water pressure can suddenly drop causing your shower to become very hot for a few seconds). Both anti-scalding valves and TAFRs should be installed by a professional plumber.

Getting ready to baby proof your home? Need help making your bathroom safety for your young toddler or grandbaby? The experts at the Plumbing Paramedics can help! Give us a call today.