Burn Awareness Week to highlight top burn hazards for young children
When Katarina V. placed a freshly boiled pot of tea on the edge of the kitchen table, she did not anticipate that it would lead to a lesson too painful for any family to endure. It only takes a second to change a life forever. Within moments, her daughter would suffer a tragic injury that left her face and arms scarred for life.
Burns and scalds are the third leading cause of injury-related hospital admission for children under 5 years of age in Canada. Over 1,000 children are admitted to hospital for burns and scalds each year, while thousands more are treated as outpatients. From February 2-9, Burn Awareness Week aims to educate parents and caregivers about burn hazards in the home and how they can be mitigated.
“Caregivers are often accused of lacking common sense, but what caregivers lack is knowledge and awareness about the burn hazards in their home,” said Frances MacDougall RN, Too Hot for Tots! Founder & Master Trainer.
For example, 70% of parents are unaware that the most common cause of burns in young children are scalds from hot drinks or hot tap water – not from fire. To address this growing issue, MacDougall developed the Too Hot for Tots! program to teach parents and caregivers how to prevent burn and scald injuries in the home. By raising awareness of the most common causes of burns, parents and caregivers can take proactive steps to prevent potentially life-changing injuries.
“Accidents are defined as unforeseen and unplanned events or circumstances but these injuries have a pattern. We see the same injuries happen to children at the same age, from the same circumstances,” said MacDougall. “Childhood burn injuries are common, serious and preventable!”
Parents and caregivers can learn more by accessing the resources on the Burn Awareness Week website, or by visiting the Burn Awareness table from February 4-8 at the BC Children’s Hospital.
