Burns and Scalds

Burns are the third-ranked cause of injury related deaths in Canada. In the five year period between 1987 to 1992 there were 753 children hospitalized in one province alone due to burns and scalds.

There are countless ways in which children can get burned. Playing with matches, lighters and electrical cords often results in severe burns, or even fatalities. Children have been scalded from pulling pots of hot food from the stove onto themselves, or from exposure to extremely hot water in the bathtub. And as we all know, hot liquids burn like fire. The potential sources of burns and scalds seem almost endless. We have to teach our children from a very early age to respect the dangers of fire, electricity and excessively hot liquids. We also have to protect them by preventing them from being exposed to situations where they might potentially get burned.

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The majority of fire related deaths (more than 75%) occur in private residences. A large percentage of burned children survive, although many require long term treatment. Functional losses as well as pain and psychological problems are inestimable. (Annal of Emergency Medicine Feb. 1993).

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Burn Prevention in the Kitchen

Preventing Scalds

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Prevention of tap water burns requires reduction in the temperature of tap water to 120 F. (48 C). At this temperature, it takes 10 minutes of exposure to cause full thickness burns in adult skin; at 125 F (52 C), the corresponding time is 2 minutes; at 130 F (54 C) the time is 30 seconds. Exposure to a water temperature 140 F (60 C) for only three seconds can result in third degree burns that would require hospitalization and skin grafts.

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Copyright 1997 Safety Health Publishing Inc.

Martin Lesperance is a fire fighter/paramedic and is the author of the best selling book "I Won’t be in to Work Today – Preventing Injuries at Home, Work and Play" . Martin delivers keynote presentations dealing with injury prevention. His talks are funny, but still have a strong underlying message. Visit his website at www.safete.com