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You’re cooking in the kitchen then turn away just for a second , you hear a sound, turn around and your toddler is reaching for the boiling water on the stove. You get the water in the shower at just the right temperature, step in, and someone down the hall flushes the toilet. Wam! The water turns so hot you can’t get out fast enough. Scalds, it can happen in an instant.

Every year more than 100 thousand people are rushed to the emergency room for first aid of scald burns, a small percentage of them will need hospitalized. It only take a water temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit to become scalding, depending on the age of the victim and the area affected. Most scaldings happen with small children under the age of 5, the elderly and those physically challenged.

Scalding is a second-degree burn which is deeper and results in blistering or worse. Scalding with hot water or very severe sunburn are common instances of second-degree burns. It can be a burn injury caused by exposure to hot fluids or gasses such as hot water, cooking oil, or steam. In some instances, all it may take is some minor first aid treatment.

There are many reasons why the water temperature has to be kept high in many settings, such as hospitals, medical facilities, dishwashers, laundries, places where bacterial prevention is needed. In these types of settings, the water temperature is a minimum of 140 degrees F and causes a burn in 10 seconds, no matter if you are young, middle aged or elderly.

If you are unable to adjust the temperature yourself, contact your local health department or fire department, they will come and assess how your hot water tank is working and how hot the water is. There is no charge for this service. Remember, when you are at home or just moving into a new residence to make sure the water temperature is set at no highed than 120 degrees.

Teaching your toddler that the kitchen and the stove top are dangerous places will help keep them from injuries such as scalds. With that said you still need to be vigilent when your child enters the kitchen. For first aid prevention, keep all cooking pot and pan handles out of their reach and if possible move them to the back burner.

There are now temperature controls that can be placed on many hot water lines to help prevent scalding in showers and in sink taps, when someone else uses cold water in another part of the home. Never place your body directly into water until you test the water to be sure of the temperature. Always test a baby’s water with your wrist before placing them in the water. A baby’s skin is very sensitive to heat and can scald in seconds.

If someone is scalded, first aid will be your first line of action. If it’s a minor burn, put the affected area under cold water or apply a soaken towel with ice directly on the burn for a minimum of 5 minutes, but don’t let the burn area become numb as this may cause frostbite. If it is a minor burn the use of Tylenol or its equivalent can reduce the pain. Don’t use sprays or creams, this may arritate the burn. If blistering occures, DO NOT BREAK the blisters.

In some cases the area affected may be to large or severe and first aid just isn’t enough. Call for or get help and see a doctor or the emergency room of your nearest hospital. A prescription may need to be given to relieve the pain.

Become more aware of First Aid and Prevention,

Dana Drewer