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Fire Safety and Burns—Identifying High-Risk Situations
Children are at increased risk for serious fire and burn injuries and death because they have thinner skin than adults. This results in more serious burns at lower temperatures. Most burns and fire injuries and deaths happen in the home. By knowing the high-risk situations for fires and burns and taking steps to make your home safer, you can help protect your child from fire and burn injuries or death.
|
Age |
Most common injury type |
Risk factors |
|---|---|---|
|
< 5 Years |
Flame |
Playing with matches, cigarette lighters, fires in fireplaces, barbecue pits, and trash fires. |
|
. |
Scald |
Kitchen injury from tipping scalding liquids. Don't warm baby bottles in the microwave because the heating is uneven and can be very hot. |
|
5 to 10 Years |
Flame |
Male children are at an increased risk often due to fire play and risk-taking behaviors. |
|
. |
Scald |
Female children are at increased risk, with most burns happening in the kitchen or bathroom. |
|
Adolescent |
Flame |
Injury connected with male peer-group activities involving gasoline, or other products that are easily set on fire and quickly burn (flammable). |
|
. |
Electrical |
Happens most often in male adolescents involved in dare-type behaviors, such as climbing utility poles or antennas. In rural areas, burns may be caused by moving irrigation pipes that touch an electrical source. |
High-risk situations can include:
-
Failing to install and maintain working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
-
Leaving children unattended in the home, especially in the kitchen or bathroom.
-
Providing easy access to matches, gasoline, lighters, or other flammable products.
-
Failing to establish an escape plan.
-
Working with hot foods or liquids around toddlers and infants. Always keep handles of pots facing away from the edge of the stove. Use back burners whenever possible.
-
Failing to check the temperature of tap water and not lowering the water heater thermostat to 120°F (49°C) or below.
-
Allowing children to handle fireworks.
-
Exposing electrical outlets and cords.
-
Allowing children near kerosene lamps, space heaters, or outside grills.
-
Leaving extra heating equipment or even candles on while adults and children are asleep.
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- © 2021 Stanford Children's Health
