How to Keep Your Family Safe from Burns

More than 400,000 people each year suffer burns that require medical treatment, and 40,000 of those patients will be hospitalized.

But most burn incidents can be avoided by practicing a few burn safety precautions at home to reduce the risk of injury. Taking care is especially important in homes where children live. Almost one in four burns involve children under 15, and children under 5 are 2.4 times more likely than the general population to suffer a burn injury.

Burn safety precautions will not only help to protect small children but will also reduce risks for everyone else in the household.

Here are a few tips you can follow to protect yourself and your loved ones:

• Avoid backyard fireworks. Do not allow children to play with or near fireworks or sparklers.
• Watch grills, fire pits, and campfires. Never leave them unattended.
• Hide matches and lighters. Store matches, lighters, and ashtrays out of your child’s reach.
• Prevent scald injuries by reducing water temperature. Set the water heater thermostat to below 120 F. Try to keep bath water around 100 F. Check bath water temperature with your hand before putting your child in the tub.
• Avoid hot spills. Do not cook, drink, or carry hot beverages or foods while holding a child. Keep hot foods and liquids away from table and counter edges. Turn pot and pan handles toward the rear of the stove and use back burners when possible. Do not leave a hot stove unattended.
• Be cautious about electrical outlets and electrical cords. Use safety caps to cover unused electrical outlets. Keep electrical cords and wires out of the way so that children do not pull or chew on them and so you will not trip over them. Do not string extension cords together. Replace frayed, broken, or worn electrical cords.
• Be careful with candles. Keep burning candles out of children’s reach and extinguish candles before leaving the room.
• Use space heaters carefully. Keep space heaters at least 3 feet away from bedding, drapes, furniture, and other materials that can burn. Turn them off when you go to sleep.

Get the Care You Need 

Taking just a few precautions can protect you and your loved ones from avoidable burn injuries. But if you do get a burn that needs medical attention, immediately call 911 and ask to be taken to the Grady Burn Center for care.

If you are recovering from a burn, visit your doctor for more advice. If you do not have a doctor, Grady can help. If you need a primary care physician, call us at (404) 616-1000. We’ll arrange an appointment at a Primary Care Center near you. Doctors there can treat most conditions and provide access to Grady’s unparalleled medical specialty expertise.