Home Water Hazards for Young Children

Each year, many young children drown in swimming pools, other bodies of water, and standing water around the home, such as

• Bathtubs

• Buckets and pails, especially 5-gallon buckets and diaper pails

• Ice chests with melted ice

• Toilets

• Hot tubs, spas, and whirlpools

• Irrigation ditches, postholes, and wells

• Fishponds and fountains

Children must be watched closely by an adult at all times when in or near water. Children may drown in an inch or 2 of water. Stay within an arm’s length of your child.

Other safety activities include

• Empty all buckets, pails, and bathtubs completely after each use—do not leave them filled and unattended.

• Keep young children out of the bathroom unless they are closely watched. Teach others in the home to keep the bathroom door closed. Install a hook-and-eye latch or doorknob cover on the outside of the door. Always close the toilet lid, and consider using a toilet lid latch.

• Never leave a child alone in a bathtub or in the care of another child, even for a moment. Avoid using bath seats or rings. Your baby can slip out of them and be trapped underwater. An adult must be within arm’s reach, providing touch supervision at all times.

• Use a rigid, lockable cover on a hot tub, spa, or whirlpool, or fence in all 4 sides as you would for a swimming pool.

• The hottest temperature at the faucet should be no more than 120°F to avoid burns. In many cases, you can adjust your water heater.

• Throw away or tightly cover water or chemical mixtures after use.

• Watch children closely when they are playing near wells, open postholes, or irrigation or drainage ditches. Fill in empty holes or have fences installed to protect your child.

• Learn CPR and know how to get emergency help.