February 2004
Children Get Burned More than Anyone else
Children five years old and younger account for thirty percent of all burn
injuries seen in Arkansas. These children are still developing physically, cognitively
and behaviorally. They love to explore, but their smaller size and lack of experience
can lead to serious burns.
The good news is that these injuries are preventable with a little planning
and education for all members of the household.
Dangers in the Kitchen
Kids are burned in the kitchen more than any other room of the house, and hot
foods or liquids burn more small children than house fires, matches, lighters,
fireworks and candles combined. The simple solution is to keep kids out of the
kitchen whenever possible. But, young children are fast, clever and curious,
and they will find their way into the kitchen from time to time. Remember these
guidelines to reduce the risk of burn injuries:
- Use the stove’s rear burners for cooking. If you must use the front
burners, turn the pot handles toward the back of the stove.
- Keep appliance cords out of reach. A child can easily pull an appliance
on themselves.
- Place hot dishes and foods away from the table edge. Hot food can quickly
cause serious burns.
- Don’t use a tablecloth if you have small children. They can pull the
entire contents of the table on them by simply reaching for a corner of the
tablecloth for balance.
- Never knowingly leave a child unattended in the kitchen.
Dangers in the Bathroom
A child’s skin is more delicate than an adult’s, and they are more
vulnerable to scald and contact burns. Always test the water before putting
your child in the tub. Put your entire hand into the water and move it back
and forth for several seconds. If the water feels even a little hot, then it
is too hot for your child.
Another idea to prevent burns is to lower the temperature on your home’s
hot water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or to the ‘warm’ setting.
Never leave a child alone in the tub. Children can turn on the water, and it
only takes one second for hot tap water to burn them.
Practice a Fire Escape Plan
Fire-related death is thirty percent higher in the Southern United States than
the national average. Most of these deaths are due to smoke inhalation, not
burns.
Smoke detectors placed throughout the home, especially near sleeping areas,
can save lives. The chance of dying in a house fire is cut in half when a working
smoke detector is present. Test them once a month and replace the batteries
at least twice a year. A good practice is to change the batteries during daylight
savings in the fall and spring.
Develop a family fire escape plan. Talk about what the smoke detector sounds
like and the importance of crawling low under smoke, identify two ways out of
each room and a meeting place outside.
Practice your plan several times a year. A younger child’s instinct is
to hide when frightened, so spend extra time helping them understand the plan
and the importance of getting out of the house as soon as possible.
There also are a number of other fire-related dangers around the house including
electrical burns from uncovered outlets or frayed cords, contact burns from
outdoor grills and flame or chemical burns from fireworks. Know the dangers
in your house, and be alert to where your child is at all times. An ounce of
prevention is truly better than a pound of cure.
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