No parent ever wants to feel like their child's safety, especially in their own home, is at risk. But, when you become a parent, the most average objects can become a safety hazard for your kids. From childproofing kitchen cabinets to outlets, parents do all that they can to make sure their little ones are protected from harm's way. And now, they might have to pay extra attention to their child's bathtub as well. This is because officials say infant bathtub safety standards need to be strengthened, given that a recent study yielded some pretty troubling things about them.
More than 4 million infant bathtubs are currently being used in the United States, according to The Hill. Recent drownings in infant tubs have forced government officials at the Consumer Product Safety Commission to take a closer look at these tubs, figure out what is happening with them, and find out what can be done better to lower the number of life threatening cases.
If you've ever had a baby, then you've probably used an infant bathtub, which the CPSC defines as a tub or enclosure that can be placed in the bathtub, sink, or other surface, and is used for bathing children under a certain age, size, or weight. But the dangers that go along with these everyday items are alarming.
In an 11 year span (between 2004 and 2015) there were 247 incidents related to infant bathtubs. Thirty-one of those incidents were fatal and 216 were not. According to the CPSC, drowning was the cause of death for 30 of the fatalities and near-drowning incidents accounted for a good amount of the non-fatalities. Product failures also accounted for 34 percent of reported incidents with infant tubs.
Because of this, CPSC will be enacting new safety standards for infant tubs on the market, which include revisions in product testing and instructional literature. New safety standards for infant tubs will go into effect this October, according to The Hill.
While these numbers seem shocking, this isn't anything new. Countless numbers of children are hurt using bathtubs each year, all across the nation. And its not just bathtubs that are causing problems either — according to NPR, injuries associated with other nursery products, such as cribs and strollers, are also on the rise. This is understandably scary — but it's a good reminder that parents should always be aware of what their children are up to and be vigilant about reading through safety pamphlets when installing or assembling new nursery products. These new safety regulations will help, but it's better if everyone is keeping an eye out regardless.
