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Burns & Scalds Print E-mail
Safety Tips
Sometimes you hurry and are under pressure. At these times accidents can happen. This is the time to skip unnecessary jobs or change your routine, such as:

  • Avoiding that 4.00-7.00pm kitchen chaos by feeding a toddler dinner at midday and something light you don't need to cook in the early evening. Perhaps the rest of the family can eat later once baby is safely in bed.
  • Occasionally give baby a wipe instead of a bath if you don't have the time to stay beside him/her.
  • For suggestions, talk to a maternal and child health nurse or the Safety Centre.

Hot water burns like fire!
Two thirds of burns are from hot liquids. A child's sensitive skin burns far more easily than an adult's and a serious scald can mean hospitalisation and possibly scarring. A severe scald can kill.

Who is most commonly scalded?
Children under 4 years old are most at risk, especially those aged between 1 and 2 years.

What causes the scalds?
Any hot liquids can scald a child. It is the everyday items which cause most of the scalds, usually cups of tea and coffee. Treat all liquids as if they were fire.

Hot drinks in cups
  • Put a baby down when drinking something hot.
  • Small children are curious and will reach up to see what is in the cup and can spill the drink. Use nonslip place mats instead of tablecloths which children may pull at. Keep hot drinks and teapots away from the edge of tables. You never know what that supposedly helpless baby will be able to reach, or when a crawling infant will start to walk. Make it a habit from the moment they are born to keep hot drinks out of their reach.
  • Never carry hot drinks while children are playing underfoot. make sure your care extends outside your home, when visiting relatives and friends or attending playgroups.
  • Serve cold drinks when children are present and have a tea break when toddlers are sleeping.