What can cause burns?
Burns are a common injury in kids that can cause pain, tissue damage, and permanent scarring.
They can happen with hot liquid, fire, electricity, chemicals, hot metal, or steam. It’s important to
take preventative steps because of how fast they can occur.
The majority of burns occur at home and in the kitchen, with most kids being under 5 years old.
Below are some basic safety tips that can help make your home a safer place and aid in
preventing your children from getting burned.
How to prevent burns in the kitchen:
- Keep hot liquids out of reach of your child.
- Don’t leave anything cooking on the stove unattended.
- Use the back burner when able and turn pot handles toward the back of the stove.
- Don’t carry your child while cooking with hot liquid to avoid splashing them.
- Don’t let your child grab anything out of the microwave without your help.
- It can be fun to get your child involved in the kitchen, just don’t leave them unattended.
How to prevent burns in other areas of the house:
- Test the temperature of the bath water yourself before your child.
- Always keep matches and lighters far from reach of your child.
- Keep all household chemicals locked up so there’s no chance of your child getting ahold
of them.
- Tuck away all electrical cords and utilize outlet covers if possible.
- Avoid placing hot drinks or food near the edges of tables or on placemats that kids could
drag toward them.
- Don’t let your child hold sparklers or play with fireworks.
- Remember to have your kids wear protective clothing and sunscreen when outside.
When your child is old enough, talk to them about fire safety and why these rules are important.
Kids are curious and don’t understand all the things that can cause them harm.
For more information on how to prevent burns, you can find more tips here and here.
Callyn Heavin MS3 University of Missouri School of Medicine Springfield Campus
Office Phone: 417-882-1600
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