Scald Prevention

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Scald Prevention

• American Burn Association
• Burn Prevention Committee

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Scald Prevention

• The following questions will be addressed
• Who are the victims of scald burns?
• How do scald injuries occur?
• How can scald injuries be prevented?
• What are the appropriate first aid responses?

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Scald Prevention Objectives

• Describe the severity of a scald burn injury
• List the major causes of scald burn injury
• Demonstrate initial understanding of appropriate
  first aid for a scald burn
• List and identify scald burn injuries by age and
  group
• List scald burn prevention strategies

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What is a Scald?

• Scalds result from the destruction of one or more
  layers of the skin due to contact with hot liquid
  or steam

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Scald Prevention

• 1.5 - 2 million burns occur annually in the US
  and Canada
• Scalds account for 75 of all burns in children
  under 4 years of age

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Scalds - High Risk Groups

• Elderly
• People with physical or mental challenges

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Scald Prevention - Young Children

• Nearly 24,000 children are treated in hospital
  emergency departments every year for scald
  injuries
• Skin is thinner - results in deeper burns
• lower temperature
• shorter contact

Source National SAFE KIDS
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Scald Prevention - Young Children

• Have little control over their environment
• Less perception of danger
• Lack ability to escape a burning situation on
  their own

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Scald Prevention - Older Adults

• Have thinner skin
• Decreased ability to feel heat due to medical
  conditions or medications
• Prone to falls in the bathtub, shower or while
  carrying hot liquids

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Scald Prevention - Special Needs

• Mobility impairments
• slow or awkward movements
• muscle weakness
• fatigue
• slower reflexes
• Increased risk of spills while moving hot liquids
• Decreased ability to remove themselves from hot
  tap water

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Scald Prevention - Special Needs

• Sensory impairments
• inability to feel heat
• Changes in intellect, perception, memory,
  judgement or awareness may hinder a persons
  ability to recognize a dangerous situation

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Scald Prevention

• Most injuries occur in two specific areas of the
  home
• kitchen
• bathroom

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Scald Prevention
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Scald Prevention

• Functions of skin
• Protection
• Prevention
• Regulation
• Sensation

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Burn Characteristics

• Superficial (first degree) burns
• Causes sunburn, minor scalds
• heals in 3-5 days with no scarring

• Characteristics
• minor damage to the skin
• pink to red
• painful
• skin is dry without blisters

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Superficial /first degree
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Burn Characteristics

• Partial thickness (second degree) burns
• damages, but does not destroy, top two layers of
  skin
• heals in 10-21 days

• Characteristics
• skin moist, wet and weepy
• blisters present
• bright pink to red

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Partial thickness / second degree
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Burn Characteristics

• Full thickness (third degree) burns
• destroys all layers of the skin
• may involve fat, muscle or bone
• will require skin grafts

• Characteristics
• bright red
• dry - no blisters
• waxy white
• tan or brown
• insensate

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Full thickness / third degree
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Extent/Percent of Injury
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Emergency Burn Care

• Primary Survey
• Airway
• Breathing
• Circulation
• Secondary Survey
• head-to-toe

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Emergency Burn Care

• History
• Immediate measures to save a life
• Cool
• Cover
• Carry

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Scald Burn - Causes

• Tap water
• Food and hot beverages
• Steam

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Scalds - Kitchen Hazards

• Pots and pans
• Microwave ovens
• Hot liquids
• Coffee
• Baby bottles

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Food and Beverage Related Scalds
These cooking methods can cause serious burns in
less than 1 second
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Coffee Scald
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Coffee Scald
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Scalds - Bathroom Hazards

• Hot water heater settings
• Unsupervised child

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Tap Water ScaldsTime and Temperature Relationship
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Tap Water
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Scald Prevention - Bathroom

• Reduction of hot water heater temperature
• Install tempering or anti-scald devices
• Never leave a child unattended
• Turn valve off in the cold position

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Scald Prevention - Hot Water Heater

• Turn water heater down to 120o F. or 48o C.
• Always run cold water first, then add hot water
• Always supervise children in the bathroom

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Tap water - shower
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Scald Prevention - Kitchen

• Pots and pans
• turn handles back away from the stove edge
• Microwave
• stir and test foods before serving
• do not use to heat baby bottles
• Cooking appliances
• cords coiled and away from counter edge

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Grease
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Pressure cooker
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Scald Prevention - Hot Liquids

• Establish a safety zone around cooking appliances
• Use non-slip placemats instead of tablecloths
• Do not place hot liquids on low tables
• Supervise children at all times

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Potpourri pot
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Scald Prevention - Hot Liquids

• Never let children carry containers of hot
  liquids
• Never hold a child while working next to a stove
  or other cooking appliance
• coffee pot, fry pan, microwave oven, etc.

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Coffee
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Scald Prevention - Conclusion