(KAIR)--As kids grow and explore the world around them, it can be quite natural for them to put themselves into situations that can cause them harm. Cheri Sage, spokeswoman for Safe Kids Kansas says children can be vulnerable to burns,but when parents think of burns, they typically think of fire, but hot water can do just as much, if not more damage to a child. Hot water scalds are the leading cause of burns to young children, and most of that is from hot water. Hot water just out of the tap accounts for about one in four of all scald burns on children, and is associated with more deaths and hospitalizations than any other hot liquid burn.
Sage says there are two specific reasons why kids exposed to hot water are injured more than adults. First, they can't recognize heat related hazards, and they can't do it quickly enough to be able to react appropriately. Also, their skin is thinning than an adult's, and it burns at lower temperatures and more deeply. To put it in perspective, a child exposed to 140 degree Fahrenheit water for five seconds will sustain a third degree burn.
Sage says there are a few things you can do to make sure your kids stay safe around hot water. She recommends that you use the back burners of a stove when you are boiling water, so that a child cannot reach the pot and pull it down on themselves. Also, do not have a child in your arms when you are cooking, as this can put them dangerously close to hot liquids.
© Many Signals Communications
MOST VIEWED STORIES
Walnut Township recall coming; Friday mtg erupts in arrest
Sabetha woman arrested in business burglary
Effingham teen facing child sex crimes charges
Two search warrants, two Horton homes, two arrests
Severe storms move through NE KS
Document forgery alleged in ATCO's Walnut Township
Two Brown Co officers honored for their bravery
Whiting woman pleads to theft of fire dept. funds
Severe storms reported Tuesday in NE KS
Flags across KS to fly half-staff Sunday
Four arrested for illegal activity on Kickapoo Reservation
Two men arrested in Jackson Co for distribute of meth
Atchison man nabbed for neighbor's 4 wheeler theft
Winning lottery ticket sold in Falls City about to expire
Meriden man bound over on rape charge
Tornado damage surveyed in NE KS
Richardson County Deputies busy during special enforcement
LATEST STORIES
Motorcyclist injured in Holt Co MO crash
Four arrested for illegal activity on Kickapoo Reservation
Two search warrants, two Horton homes, two arrests
Brown Co Sheriff's Office releases April stats
Flags across KS to fly half-staff Sunday
Commission takes action related to bridge project
Whiting woman pleads to theft of fire dept. funds