30 babies and toddlers go to the hospital with a hot drink burn every day, show latest statistics released on National Burn Awareness Day.
Today, on National Burn Awareness Day 2019, exclusive data from the SafeTea campaign shows that NHS services treat more than 30 babies and toddlers with a hot drink burn every day.
The SafeTea campaign together with The Children’s Burns Trust and British Burn Association, have released this exclusive insight to raise awareness of the devastating number of children that are, on a daily basis, affected by life-altering burn injuries, and to promote the right burn-related first aid to parents, carers, grandparents and others involved in the care of children.
In addition to this shocking daily figure the SafeTea campaign highlights that 60% of all under 3 paediatric burn attendances to Accident & Emergency Departments are due to a hot drink burn. These figures are even more disturbing when the vast majority of these accidents are entirely preventable by simply keeping hot drinks out of reach. A burn injury is for life, the scars are physical as well as psychological, and can present life-long challenges for the individual and their families.
Laura Jakes, parent of Arthur (pictured) who was burned by a hot drink when he was just 2 years, 9 months old says “Following Arthur’s accident I’m determined to raise awareness of the dangers of hot drinks around children and how these devastating injuries can happen in seconds. We’re hoping that showing the pictures of this distressing injury to Arthur means that more parents/carers are aware of the dangers of hot drinks around children. Even if one family doesn’t have to go through what we went through it will be worth it.”
Paul Fuller, Chair of The Children’s Burns Trust, whose work is focused on children and their families said: “Looking at the shocking number of burn and scald injuries that take place across the UK every year brings into stark reality how common these injuries are. The vast majority of burn injuries are accidents and most are entirely avoidable. On National Burns Awareness Day 2019, we need to see greater awareness about prevention and good first aid, both of which are key to reducing the number of accidents.”
Hundreds of NHS Services, Fire and Rescue Services, along with other organisations, come together each year on National Burn Awareness Day to raise awareness of the alarming number of people burned each and every day in the UK – the vast majority of which are preventable. The campaign also helps to promote the vital message of the importance of good first aid if a burn or scald does occur: COOL for 20 minutes under cool running water, CALL 999 OR 111 or your GP for advice, COVER the burn loosely with cling film.
All statistics have been provided by the SafeTea campaign, which is based on evidence collected by researchers from Cardiff University, the University of Bristol and the University of the West of England and tested in collaboration with early years staff and parents of young children.
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