Burn Safety

Burns are some of the most common childhood accidents. Babies are small, curious, and have sensitive skin that needs extra special care to prevent getting burned.

To protect your baby from burns…

• Holding a hot liquid? Put your baby down. 
  Never carry your baby and hot liquids at the same time.
• Set your hot water heater to 120o F. 
  If you can’t control the water temperature where you live, install an anti-scald device.
• Don’t heat bottles in the microwave. 
  It’s fine for babies to have a cold bottle. If you prefer warm milk or formula, make up the bottle, and then run it under hot tap water.
• Turn handles in. 
  Always turn pot and panhandles in toward the stove to avoid hot spills that could burn.
• Install smoke alarms. 
  Put one on every level of your house, and one outside of your child’s room.

Q & A
Q: What are anti-scald devices?

A: A scald is a burn from hot liquid or steam. Anti-scald devices prevent water that is too hot from coming out of the tap. These devices are sensitive to heat and will stop the fl ow of water when it reaches a pre-set temperature. Most of the anti-scald devices can be screwed onto water fixtures without professional help. Some faucets and showerheads even include this feature on their own! Babies’ skin is thinner than older children and adults and can burn at lower temperatures and more deeply. Help protect your baby by setting your water heater to 120o F, if you can. If you live in an apartment or area where you can’t control the water heater settings, install an anti-scald device. You can find them at most home improvement stores.

Did you know?

As your baby grows, it’s still very important to use a rear-facing car seat the correct way every time he’s in the car.

All children should ride in a rear-facing car seat in the back of the car until they are 2 years old.

Facing the rear of a car will help protect your child’s head, neck, and spine from serious injury

Protect your baby on-the-go!

Never leave your baby alone in a car. Even just for a minute. Heat is much more dangerous to babies than to adults.

Cars can become dangerously hot very quickly. Even on days when the temperature outside does not seem too warm, it’s not safe for young children to stay in the car alone.

Routines and distractions have caused people to accidentally leave children behind in cars.

To be sure you remember, try placing something that you will need in the back seat where your child is sitting, like your purse, lunch, or gym bag. This simple act could prevent you from accidentally forgetting your child if she’s sleeping.