Burns can happen to anyone – but children are especially vulnerable.

There are many precautions you can take to protect your children from scalds and burns.

• Turn hot water temperature down to 49 degrees Celsius.  Children can suffer serious scalds from hot tap water.
• Before placing your child in the bath tub, test the temperature of bath water with your elbow first, it should feel neither hot or cold. Infants are more at risk for serious burns because their skin burns more quickly and deeply.
• Never drink hot liquids such as tea, coffee, or soup while holding an infant or child. Remove table cloths which can be pulled by children.
• Microwaves can heat unevenly and create hot spots, so avoid using them to heat baby formula or baby milk.
• Keep matches and lighters out of reach. Remember that child resistant lighters are not child-proof. Teach children the danger of matches and lighters.
• Install smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. Check and replace the batteries regularly.
• Practice a fire escape route as a family.
• Supervise children closely around hot water, candles, hot appliances, curling irons, wood stoves, barbeques and campfires. It is best to keep children safely out of the way!

Services related to this information:

• Contact your Public Health Nurse
  • Eastern Urban/Rural Zones
  • Central Zone
  • Western Zone
  • Labrador-Grenfell Zone
• 811 HealthLine (Newfoundland & Labrador) – Call 811 or 1-888-709-2929 / TTY 1-888-709-3555