What Grandparents Need to Know About Burn Prevention

​February 6-12 is Burn Awareness Week. It’s a great time to make sure we are doing everything we can to keep our grandchild safe from accidental burns. #NBAW

The summer my son turned one, we lived in an older apartment building in Northern Virginia. Reflecting our limited budget, it was pretty run down, and between the roaches and the broken air conditioner, it wasn’t the ideal place to raise a baby. We managed pretty well despite the challenges, until the day he showed us how cheap our appliances were.

Look at that poor little hand all wrapped up in bandages!

​He was just starting to pull himself up on things, and one afternoon he tried to pull himself up on the oven while I was making dinner. The side of the oven door, which I’d never thought to touch, was searingly hot, and his little hand was badly burned. I will never forget the way he cried—the shrieks of pure pain that came from his little body. I felt like the worst mother in the world when we took him to the emergency room, but he bounced back quickly and healed without incident. Still, I was scarred for life! I am paranoid about children being near burn hazards.

Children have no concept of what “hot” means—unless they learn it the hard way, as my son did. That’s why it’s so important for caregivers to be extra vigilant about potential burn hazards. Grandparents, this means making sure your home is safe whenever your grandchildren are there, even if they are being closely watched by adults. I can tell you from experience, a child can burn themselves even with their mother standing two feet away.​

Tips for keeping your grandchildren safe from accidental burns in the kitchen

Keep hot food and liquids away from children.

• Don’t hold a child while cooking or carrying hot food or drinks.

• Use a travel mug to drink your hot tea or coffee.

• Keep hot food and liquids away from the edges of tables and counters, and don’t use table linens which could be pulled on by a young child.

Keep children away from the cooking zone.

• Never leave the stove unattended while it’s in use.

• Make sure the handles are turned away from the front of the stove.

• Find out if your oven has external areas that get hot, and be extra vigilant if it does.

Food can burn, too.

• Test food temperature before feeding.

• Remember microwaves may heat food unevenly, so always stir well and test again.

• Avoid using the microwave to warm a baby’s bottle.  

​Tips for keeping your grandchildren safe from accidental burns in the bathroom

• Remember that a child’s skin is thinner and more susceptible to severe burning than an adult’s.

• Set your hot water heater below 120 F, or 50 C.

• Always check the temperature of bath water with your elbow or the inside of your wrist, not your hand, before putting your grandchild in the tub.

• Run cold water to cool off the faucet before you turn it off, and turn off the tap tightly. 

​Tips for keeping your grandchildren safe from accidental burns elsewhere in the house

• Never leave a child unattended in a room where a stove, fireplace, candle, warm mist humidifier or space heater is in use.

• Keep irons, curling irons, etc. unplugged and out of reach, especially after using them. Make sure their cords are also out of reach.

• Keep matches, lighters, candles, ashtrays, cigarettes, etc. out of sight and out of reach. 

​Tips for keeping your grandchildren safe from accidental burns outside the house:

• Never leave grills, fire pits, camp fires or patio heaters unattended while they are in use.

• Check for hot straps or buckles on car seats after your car has been sitting in the sun.

• Children and fireworks don’t mix. Don’t use backyard fireworks or sparklers when children are present. 

​Following these tips should ensure your grandchild will never experience what my son did. However, if the worst happens, make sure you know what to do for a burn. Remove any wet clothing, and run cool water on the burned area for 20 minutes. Don’t use ice, butter, creams or lotions. If the burn is severe, seek medical advice after initial first aid is given. 

​Find more valuable safety tips in the Baby Care and Safety section of New Grandparent Essentials, the best way for grandparents to be prepared for life's greatest adventure!