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 in drownings among infants and toddlers. Bath rings were first marketed in the United States in 1981. They consist of a plastic ring, about 9.5 inches in diameter, with three or four attached legs, 6 to 8 inches in length. There are two basic variations in design. In the first the device is attached to the tub surface by suction cups located on the bottom surface of the legs. The infant either sits on the tub surface or on an optional sponge pad that fits within the ring. In the second design three legs are attached to a rubber mat that the infant sits on. The bottom surface of the rubber mat is covered with small suction cups that attach the device to the tub surface. In both designs there is usually a discernible front and the infant's legs are meant to straddle a particular bath ring leg. Bath seats were introduced in 1991. Similar to the bath ring, the seat contains the infant within a plastic ring and has plastic legs for straddling but the """"""""bath seat"""""""" also provides a molded plastic seat for the infant to sit on. Using data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, we report the involvement of infant bath seats or bath rings in 15 drowning deaths and 8 near drownings. This report is the first in the medical literature alerting health professionals to the potential hazards of these products.
