Bath Safety Tips this National Bath Safety Month

January is National Bath Safety Month! This month, your caring staff at Physicians Premier encourages everyone to consider bath safety for all.

Everyone looks forward to a warm bath, especially after a long, stressful day. One study from the NCBI reported that bathing before bedtime can help improve the quality of sleep.

The bathroom, however, can be one of the dangerous places in your home, with its slippery wet and hard surfaces. Hence, bath safety should be a must. In fact, the CDC reported that about 200,000 unintentional bath injuries are treated in the emergency room on a yearly basis. The study further mentioned that the risk of injury is greater as a person grows older.

Here are some bath safety tips.

For babies and young children

• Do not leave your children in the bath unsupervised, especially young ones under the age of 5.
• Scolds are a common bathroom injury. Be sure to check the water temperature before you allow our kids to enter the bath.
• Make sure that everything that your children need for bath are ready. Keep bath towels, toys, soap, and shampoo within arm’s reach.
• Always drain the tub after bath time.
• Keep the bathroom closed at all times, even when not in use, to prevent your kids from entering the bathroom unsupervised.

For seniors

• Use non-slip rugs.
• Keep the bathroom clutter-free.
• Install grab bars.
• Ensure that the bathroom has plenty of light.
• To minimize falls, it’s best to have a shower chair in the bath.
• When possible, have a caregiver assist.

For pregnant women

• Install non-slip bathmats to prevent falls.
• Keep the shower or bath temperature at around 98.6°F. Anything higher than that could potentially harm your baby.
• If you have trouble keeping your balance, it’s best to use a shower chair while bathing.
• Have someone assist you in getting in and out of the tub.

Go to your nearest Corpus Christi ER if someone in your family:

• Fell and dislocated a bone.
• Fell and hit their head.
• Drownings or near-drowning.

Physicians Premier is open 24/7. We are always at your service!