American Parents Weigh In On The Benefits Of Bathtime In Advance Of International Bath Day On June 14

LONG BEACH, Calif., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A survey of over 300 U.S. moms found that 73-percent believe it is most important to utilize bathtime with their children as a time to explore and discover. The survey, administered by Pediatric Therapy Network, a California-based organization that provides its special needs community with high-quality therapy, research and education, sought to gather data surrounding parents feelings about bathtime with their child, just in time for International Bath Day on June 14th.

Celebrated annually on June 14, International Bath Day celebrates discovery and exploration in the bathtub for children and adults alike. Legend has it that on June 14, Greek mathematician, scientist and scholar, Archimedes, discovered while taking a bath that an object's volume could be accurately measured by being submerged in water.

Other notable findings of the Pediatric Therapy Network bathtime survey include:

• 58-percent of respondents give their child a bath 4 to 7 times per week.
• 55-percent of respondents said mom most often gives baths, with 37-percent saying bathtime is split between mom and dad.
• 90-percent of respondents said they look forward to bathtime because their child is relaxed and happy afterwards.
• 65-percent of parents use bubbles during bathtime with their child.

"Bathtime is a full sensory experience for the child; from the feel of the soap, wash cloth, and caregiver's hands, to the buoyancy of the water for vestibular input, to the sounds of water splashing and bathroom echoes," said Josephine Calina, an occupational therapist with Pediatric Therapy Network. "The child's overall development is enhanced through the bonding and social interactions with caregivers and siblings, and fine motor and visual motor skills are improved as the child manipulates bath toys."

Following exploration and discovery, 68-percent of respondents felt that cause and effect is a "very important" skill to support during bathtime; followed by sensory awareness, noted by 66-percent of respondents. One respondent said, "My son looks forward to bathtime because he has a chance to explore and experience. He loves almost any bath toy he can use to manipulate the water. He even loves baths with no toys at all!"

The survey also revealed that parents feel that bathtime is much more about fun than learning and education. Fewer respondents, an average of 40%, felt that supporting basic scientific principles and problem solving and critical thinking was "very important." Only 53-percent of respondents use educational bath toys compared to 93-percent who use fun bath toys.

See the full survey results here.

About Pediatric Therapy Network (PTN)
Pediatric Therapy Network, a nonprofit, early child development and therapy center, is committed to delivering quality services to children of all abilities. PTN provides speech, physical and occupational therapy, early intervention services and social skills programs to children from birth up to 22 years of age. A world renowned training and research center, PTN is also committed to mentoring the next generation of therapists and healthcare professionals. Learn more at www.PediatricTherapyNetwork.org.

SOURCE Pediatric Therapy Network