Infants, toddlers at highest risk of burns from hot liquids, objects
Parkland is 4th busiest pediatric burn center in the U.S.
As the fourth busiest pediatric burn center in the United States, each year Parkland Memorial Hospital’s Regional Burn Center treats hundreds of children with burn injuries. In 2017 more than 230 children required admission to Parkland for specialized burn treatments such as hydrotherapy, skin grafting and rehabilitative therapy.
More than half of the pediatric patients Parkland admitted last year were 3 years old or younger, according to Stephanie Campbell, BSN, RN, CCRN, Burn Program Manager. Severe burn injuries can happen at any age, but young infants and toddlers are at the highest risk of getting too close to hot liquids or objects. They are fast and curious, and do not always understand the concept of “hot.”
During Burn Awareness Week, observed Feb. 4-10 this year, Parkland burn experts emphasize the importance of preventing burns.
“More than 70 percent of the burns in this age group were scald burns, the majority were from pulling hot liquids off the stove, table or counter. Unfortunately many were also from an adult accidentally spilling hot liquid on a child when they got underfoot in the kitchen,” Campbell said. “We saw children with severe burns from boiling water, hot tea, soup, hot food, grease and cooking oil.”
In children older than 3 years, scald burns are still a leading cause of injury, representing 40 percent of patients admitted to Parkland’s burn center last year, Campbell said, noting that scald burns can happen year round.
July 22, 2017, began like most summer days in Dallas. The “coolest” part of the day came before dawn and as the sun climbed so too did the temperature, eventually reaching triple digits. Royal Russell, then 19 months old, was staying with a family member while his mother, Teela Green, was at work. In preparation for an evening meal, a crockpot of broth was simmering on the counter, the cord hanging just over the edge.
It only took an instant for tiny Royal to reach up, grab the cord and pull the entire crockpot down on himself. He suffered deep second degree burns to 38 percent of his body including his face, head, neck, chest, back and bottom. When she received the call that there had been an accident and Royal had been burned, his panicked mom rushed to the hospital. Tearing up as she recalled that day, Green said, “It was the most devastating thing I’ve ever had to see in my whole life.”
Royal was transferred to Parkland’s Regional Burn Center and admitted to the Burn Intensive Care Unit for fluid resuscitation, wound care and pain management.
“My son is one of the strongest people in the world. We were very lucky because he did not have to have any skin grafts. His bottom took the longest to heal because we think his diaper absorbed the broth and held it against his skin,” she said, noting that Royal was hospitalized for nine days.
During one of the worst times of her life, Green said Parkland’s staff was “amazing” and helped her “keep it together” so she could be strong for her toddler. “He’s doing great now. He’s completely healed and running around like any 2-year old,” she said.
Although her youngster is back to playing, jumping and doing “what most toddlers do,” Green offers a word of caution so others do not endure the pain that Royal experienced. “Every parent should have a safety gate for their kitchen. I thought I didn’t need a gate, but I was wrong. It only takes a second for kids to get in and pull something hot off the counter. You should also teach your kids to stay away from surfaces and objects in the kitchen that might be hot.”
To that end, Campbell and the American Burn Association offer the following tips:
• Create a 3-foot “no kid zone” around your stove or fireplace. Use a gate for younger children or tape on the floor for older children.
• Use the back burners on the stove and turn pot handles to the back of the stove.
• Ensure that crockpots are pushed to the back of the counter and keep the cords away from the counter edges.
• Keep soup and hot noodles out of reach of young children.
• Never drink hot liquids while holding young children.
• Use travel coffee cups with lids even when you are home if you have young children around.
• Use caution when transferring hot liquids in the kitchen. Ensure children are out of the kitchen before you walk holding pots or cups of hot liquid.
• Create a “no kid zone” around any open flame, including fire pits, campfires and grills.
• Teach kids to avoid running or playing near open flames.
• Never pour gasoline on an open flame, especially when there are young children around.
• Set your hot water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or just below the medium setting.
For more information about services at Parkland, please visit www.parklandhospital.com.
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