A cup of coffee could scar your child for life

Hot water is one of life’s essentials, whether it is a cup of coffee or a hot bath to relax after a busy day – but both of these could scar a child for life.

During Child Safety Week (21 – 27 June), NHS Suffolk is supporting the national campaign to raise awareness of child safety and alert parents and guardians to the dangers of scalds and burns.

With the skin of babies being 15 times thinner than that of an adult and with 16 under 5s being admitted to hospitals in Suffolk in 08/09 due to burns or scalds, there is no doubt that the distress and injury caused to many children each year could be prevented by following some simple safety advice.

Dr Mashbileg Maidrag, an NHS Suffolk consultant in public health who chairs the Child Death Overview Panel, said: “Hot drinks are the number one cause of scalds amongst the under 5s – and can even cause serious damage 15 minutes after being made. So it is important to keep hot drinks out of reach of small hands and don’t hold a baby or young child when holding a hot drink.

“Bath time is another time of day when parents and guardians should stay alert as it takes only five seconds for a toddler to suffer third degree burns from the bath’s hot water tap, which could result in painful skin grafts for many years to come.”

To prevent scalds and burns in the home:

    •    Use a kettle with a short or curly flex and keep the kettle pushed to the back of your kitchen surface.
    •    When cooking, use the rings at the back of the hob and be careful of children around a hot oven.  Always turn pan handles towards the back.
    •    When running a bath put the cold water in first, then the hot.
    •    If possible, fit a thermostatic mixing valve to your bath hot tap
    •    Fire holds a fascination for children so keep matches and lighters away from young children

For further information on Child Safety Week visit  www.childsafetyweek.org.uk

Issued by the NHS Suffolk Communications Team on 01473 770014
For more information about NHS Suffolk visit www.suffolk.nhs.uk


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