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Leaving aside emotional benefits (kids like to splash around in a bath and have fun) are there any health benefits or negatives to taking a bath vs. taking a shower?
I'm looking for an answer based on studies, not opinions.
Age range is 5-10 years old.
General problems and benefits (which apply equally to adults and children):
Shower
Bath
For younger children, make sure they're being observed regardless of whether they take a shower or bath. Overall, the only reason really to definitely take a shower over a bath is dependent on how dirty the bather is. If the bather is very dirty, a shower is better due to the benefit of having all the dirt and such washed off and straight down the drain. Otherwise it's almost completely dependent on the personality of the bather and possibly any time constraints you have. (This is assuming that the bather is competent enough not to have an accident like slip/fall).
I looked to see if I could find research proving that either of the choices were healthier (common sense told me that a shower should be healthier due to not 'stewing in your own filth') but was unable to find any conclusive research one way or the other. Either the topic hasn't been well researched, or the research that has been done has found no significant health benefit/risk between the two. The only exception being the possible benefit of a hot/cold bath on sore muscles and such.
Most folks aren't extraordinarily dirty, so bath water won't get too nasty. Actually, the opposite issue occurs when the soap remains in the water/on your skin when you get up to dry off.
A shower can use less water if you don't shave or brush teeth in it. You can buy a cut off valve for $5 at a hardware store to cut flow of water in shower if you do to save water.
Shower can blast continual hot water on the skin which can strip too much oils if you get dry skin in winter. Soaking in a bath doesn't strip your skin oils as much.
Bath can be slow, but kids that don't know how to shower can stand in there wasting all the hot water. In a tub, you can at least regulate how much water is dispensed for your kids to use.
The Japanese are big proponents of baths and water rinsing. It keeps the skin from getting to stripped from continual hot water.
There's pro cons to each, so you have to decide which angle you're concerned with (health, water conservation, etc).
A bath is a set temperature that will get cooler. You can test the temperature before you get in. A shower (depending on the plumbing) can get sudennly much hotter. This could cause scalding or the rapid movement away from the hot water could cause a fall and injury.
Personally, from the purpose of trying to get clean, I would say shower. Much less water is used, and you're not sitting in a soup of your oils, pruning up and just.. ew.
I've known for a while that cold showers do a lot for physical health, and I'd even argue mental health. Mental fortitude is so important in life! I like a warm shower when I'm tense or stressed, but even then after a few minutes I go back to cold. Cold is just much more refreshing. Wakes you up more than coffee will. Improves circulation and mental alertness.
I don't take baths, but I know for some (adults) they're quite relaxing with a book and music. Asides relaxation, I'm not aware of any tangible 'benefits' to taking a bath that you couldn't get from a warm/hot shower.
