This year, for Burn Awareness Week, the focus is on scalds. Scalds are a painful and unusual type of burn.
The length of contact with the scalding substance, and the temperature are the main factors affecting scald severity. The clothes on which a substance is spilled retain heat until they are removed.
The nature of the substance matters. The stickier or heavier the substance that spills, the more likely it will retain heat and stick to the body, or to the clothes on the body. Oatmeal and spaghetti sauce heated close to the boiling point, for example, will cause a more severe injury than hot water of the same temperature.
Some other considerations for scald burns:
~ A spill of small size may affect a large area of a child’s body.
~ A cup of coffee, for example, could burn 25% of a toddler’s body.
~ Scald burns to the face, hands, feet or private areas of the body can be difficult to heal and affect their functions for a long time.
Also read: Burns and Scalds in the Kitchen & read other articles in our Burn Care First Aid Blog.
