Both boards and bath seats assist many people in being able to continue using their baths.

And the debate will be fueled by an analysis from a professor at Harvard suggesting that bath seats may actually protect children from drowning.

Thomas Hill Moore, the third commissioner, has not commented about bath seats, and declined an interview request.

She conducted an analysis of the commission staff's recommendation and found that the government erred by underestimating how many parents use bath seats.

But consumer advocates and some experts said that they believed that bath seats encourage bad behavior.

That study suggested parents were more likely to leave a child unattended when using a bath seat.

But the accident left Ms. Brummel convinced that bath seats should be banned.

Dr. Thompson argued that rather than banning bath seats, the safety commission ought to focus on teaching parents not to leave children alone in tubs.

But Ms. Brown said bath seats needed to be redesigned.

Never leave your baby alone in the bathtub or a bath seat or ring-even for a moment.