Last week was National Burn Awareness Week which seeks to bring attention to the unprecedented number of burn injuries that take place in America each year. Burns come in all shapes, sizes and colors and can be caused by a wide range of sources. Most adults understand common sense safety precautions while working with or around sources of heat whether this is a stove, fireplace, engine, faucet, etc. Children, on the other hand, don’t always understand these safety practices nor have the capacity to make informed decisions about the consequences. In fact, they not only have a lack of understanding and/or awareness but are actually drawn to these heat sources out of their natural sense of curiosity.
Every day, 352 children ages 19 and under are injured as a result of a fire or burn-related cause. Additionally, among children under 5 years of age, scalds or contact burns are responsible for 90% of all burn injuries and the most common places children experience these injuries are in the kitchen, dining room and bathroom. In an effort to prevent or respond to the number of household burn threats posed to children there are nine excellent tips that you should be aware of:
1) Cool a burn under cold running water for 10-15 minutes and call 9-1-1 for serious burns.
2) Always supervise children in the kitchen and dining areas.
3) Create a “No Child Zone” while preparing and serving hot foods and beverages.
4) Don’t carry or hold a child while cooking on the stove. Instead, place the child into a high chair or other safe area while cooking.
5) Children love to reach, so to prevent hot food or liquid spills, simply use the back burner of your stove and turn pot handles away from its edge; also, keep hot foods away from the edge of your counters. You can also purchase child safe locks for your oven, stove knob covers and a stove guard.
6) Keep clothing from coming in contact with flames or heating elements.
7) A small adjustment to your water heater can give you one less thing to worry about. To prevent accidental scalding, set your water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or the manufacturer’s recommended setting.
8) Make a habit of placing matches, gasoline, and lighters in a safe place out of children’s reach and avoid novelty lighters as they may look like toys in a child’s eyes.
9) When filling a bathtub turn on cold water first then mix in warmer water carefully.
Even if you don’t have children, this information may be valuable to a friend or family member you know who has or cares for children. For more information about burn awareness please visit the American Burn Association @ http://www.ameriburn.org/preventionBurnAwareness.php
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