Vol. 29, No. 1
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Be safe this winter, inside and out |
Preventing childhood burns
Thousands of children suffer burn-related injuries each year. Children ages 4 and under are at the greatest risk, with an injury rate more than two times that of children ages 5 to 14.
More than 200 children are treated each year in the regional pediatric trauma and emergency center at The Children’s Medical Center of Dayton. The majority of children treated are less than 2 years old and suffer from burns caused by hot liquids, curling irons and irons. Flame burns (caused by direct contact with fire) are more prevalent among older children. All children are also at risk for contact, electrical and chemical burns.
Why are children at greater risk?
Because young children have thinner skin than older children and adults, their skin burns at lower temperatures and more deeply. A child exposed to hot tap water at 140 degrees Fahrenheit for three seconds will sustain a third-degree burn, an injury requiring hospitalization and skin grafts. Children, especially those ages 4 and under, may not perceive danger, may have less control of their environment, may not be able to escape a life-threatening burn situation and may not be able to tolerate the physical stress of a burn injury.
How and where burn deaths and injuries occur
- Fires resulting from children’s play are the leading cause of residential fire-related death and injury among children ages 9 and under.
- Among children ages 14 and under, hair curlers and curling irons, room heaters, ovens and ranges, irons, gasoline and fireworks are the most common causes of product-related thermal burn injuries.
- The majority of scald burns to children, especially among those ages 6 months to 2 years, are from hot foods and liquids spilled in the kitchen or other places where food is prepared and served.
- Hot tap water accounts for nearly one-fourth of all scald burns among children and is associated with more deaths and hospitalizations than other hot liquid burns. Tap-water burns most often occur in the bathroom and tend to be more severe and cover a larger portion of the body than other scald burns.
- Burns account for more than half of all fireworks-related injuries and primarily occur to the hands, eyes and head. Fireworks-related injuries peak during the month surrounding July 4, when 60 percent of them occur.
- Nearly two-thirds of electrical burn injuries among children ages 12 and under are associated with household electrical cords and extension cords. Wall outlets are associated with an additional 14 percent of these injuries.
- The vast majority (95 percent) of microwave burns among children are scald burns. Microwave burns are typically caused by spilling hot liquids or food, and injuries are primarily to the trunk or the face.
Preventing burns
- Smoke alarms are extremely effective at preventing fire-related death and injury. The chances of dying in a residential fire are cut in half when a smoke alarm is present. Smoke alarms and sprinkler systems combined could reduce fire-related deaths by 82 percent and injuries by 46 percent.
- Install smoke alarms in your home on every level and in every sleeping area. Test them once a month, replace the batteries twice each year (unless the batteries are designed for longer life) and replace the alarms every 10 years. Ten-year lithium alarms are also available and do not require an annual battery change.
- More than 75 percent of all scald burns among children ages 2 and under could be prevented through some simple steps. Hot tap water scalds can be prevented by lowering the setting on water heater thermostats to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or below and by installing anti-scald devices in water faucets and showerheads.
- Never leave a child alone, especially in the bathroom or kitchen. If you must leave the room, take the child with you.
- Keep matches, gasoline, lighters and all other flammable materials locked away and out of children’s reach. Never allow children to handle fireworks.
- Use back burners and turn pot handles to the back of the stove when cooking. Keep appliance cords out of children’s reach, especially if the appliances contain hot foods or liquids. Cover unused electrical outlets with safety devices.
- Keep hot foods and liquids away from table and counter edges. Never carry or hold children and hot foods or liquids at the same time.
Source: National SAFE KIDS Campaign (NSKC). Burn Injury Fact Sheet. Washington (DC): NSKC, 2004. Dayton Children’s leads the Greater Dayton SAFE KIDS Coalition.
Table of Contents |
3 A new procedure that's easy to swallow
4 Brush up on disease prevention
5 K99.1FM Miracle Marathon makes a million miracles happen
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