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Child Safety: Top Ten Burn Hazards Revealed

Posted on Tuesday, February 4th, 2014 at 12:19 pm.

Written by Denise Morgan

Research using data from three specialist burns units and five accident and Emergency departments in the UK reveals that curling tongs and hot mugs top the list when it comes to childhood burn hazards. Other incidents recorded involved hair straighteners, hot baths, irons and oven hobs. The collated information indicates that accidents are most likely to occur before a child reaches the age of one.

Unprepared Parents

It appears many parents are not aware of their child’s physical capabilities and fail to properly baby-proof their home, which means that hot drinks and heated appliances are unwittingly left within their child’s reach. During the study, 709 scalding injuries were recorded and all of these occurred in the home. Most of these resulted from children tugging on table cloths or reaching up onto tables, pulling hot drinks on top of them.

A Learning Curve

The study, conducted by Professor Alison Mary Kemp of Cardiff University, and other professionals, shows that the most accidents happen around the age of nine months, which, for most infants, is the age mobility and exploration begins. Kemp and her colleagues believe parents are not prepared for this change and that it takes time for both children and parents to become aware of the dangers of everyday household items. The number of burns and scalds recorded in the study drops after the age of three, suggesting that children have learned not to touch certain items that can harm them, and also that parents have realised the need to employ safeguarding techniques. Another factor could be that children over the age of three tend to spend more time outside the home and are therefore less likely to be at risk from potentially dangerous household items.

Parents Need to Develop Safe Habits

Katrina Philips of the Child Accident Prevention Trust believes the study highlights the need for parents to adapt earlier to the changes parenthood brings. Philips wants parents to develop habits such as putting cups out of children’s reach, before an infant becomes mobile so these habits become second nature by the time a child can explore their surroundings.