Drowning is a leading cause of injury death among children in the United States. Recent studies have shown that, unlike other age groups, rates of death from drowning are actually increasing among infants. Approximately 40% of infant drownings occur in the bathtub. In this study we examine the involvement of bath rings and bath seats (products intended to support an infant in the sitting position during bathing) in drownings among infants and toddlers in the United States. Using data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, 27 drowning deaths, in which a bath seat or bath ring was in use at the time of submersion, were identified. Infants ranged in age from 5-15 months with a median age of 8 months. In a series of focus group discussions, parents reported that they were more likely to leave a child unattended momentarily in the bathtub if the infant was contained in a bath seat or ring. There was a reported lapse in adult supervision in 27 of the 30 (90%) incidents in which the circumstances surrounding the event are known. This study is the first in the medical literature alerting health professionals to the potential hazards of these products and reinforces the need to counsel parents on the dangers of leaving small children and infants unattended in the bathtub.
