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Children Can Be Seriously Burned In Different Ways

By Joel Hardy

02/10/2014

(KAIR)--As kids grow and explore the world around them, it can be quite natural for them to put themselves into situations that can cause them harm. Cheri Sage, spokeswoman for Safe Kids Kansas says children can be vulnerable to burns,but when parents think of burns, they typically think of fire, but hot water can do just as much, if not more damage to a child. Hot water scalds are the leading cause of burns to young children, and most of that is from hot water. Hot water just out of the tap accounts for about one in four of all scald burns on children, and is associated with more deaths and hospitalizations than any other hot liquid burn.

Sage says there are two specific reasons why kids exposed to hot water are injured more than adults. First, they can't recognize heat related hazards, and they can't do it quickly enough to be able to react appropriately. Also, their skin is thinning than an adult's, and it burns at lower temperatures and more deeply. To put it in perspective, a child exposed to 140 degree Fahrenheit water for five seconds will sustain a third degree burn.

Sage says there are a few things you can do to make sure your kids stay safe around hot water. She recommends that you use the back burners of a stove when you are boiling water, so that a child cannot reach the pot and pull it down on themselves. Also, do not have a child in your arms when you are cooking, as this can put them dangerously close to hot liquids.

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