Most accidents that cause burns and scalds to babies and children involve hot water. That’s why the key message for National Burns Awareness Day is ‘hot water burns like fire’. And that’s why we’re reminding families about the dangers of hot water, especially hot water bottles, which can cause serious burns if they’re not used properly.
Katrina Phillips, Chief Executive of the Child Accident Prevention Trust said:
“With winter approaching, lots of us are dragging out our hot water bottles, particularly if we’re looking to keep our heating bills down.
“So it’s an unwelcome shock to discover that rubber perishes and hot water bottles have an expiry date. Children can suffer horrible burns from hot water. So take a moment to check your hot water bottles. And, if need be, add them to your next shopping list.”
Top tips for burns prevention:
- Check your hot water bottle for signs of wear and replace it if it’s over two years old.
- Keep kettles and hot drinks out of reach of small hands.
- Keep pans at the back of the hob.
- Put the cold water in the bath first and top up with hot.
Learn more about hot water bottle safety, find out how to protect your child from burns and share our free fact sheet with friends and family.
If your child is burnt:
- Cool the burn for 20 minutes under running water.
- Call for help for any burn bigger than a 50p coin.
- Cover the burn with cling film or a sterile, non-fluffy dressing or cloth.
More information
National Burn Awareness Day is organised by the Children’s Burns Trust in collaboration with the British Burn Association. Download your free toolkit to help prevent life-changing burns to children.
Related pages
Related pages
Hot water bottle safety
Learn how to spot if your hot water bottle needs replacing and get top tips for safe use of hot water bottles.
Preventing burns and scalds
Most childhood burns and scalds happen at home. Here we’ve highlighted some of the key dangers in and around the home.
