As the winter chill sets in and we turn to a variety of heating methods to keep our little ones warm at home, it’s important to be vigilant about preventing burns—as the use of hot water bottles, hot baths and other heating methods increases the risk of accidents at home, particularly for babies and young children.
As a parent, understanding how to prevent these incidents and apply at-home burn first aid is important—and could make a huge difference to your child. Let us guide you through how to prevent burns and scalds at home, where to learn first aid for burns in Australia, and when to use ice for burns.
Dressing your Baby for Winter
The best way to avoid a panicked search for ‘first aid for burns in Australia’ starts with what your little one wears. Dressing your bub for warmth (safely) during the winter months is one of the best tactics for preventing burns. There are three key factors to consider here:
Layering: When it comes to keeping your baby warm with minimal risk, layering is key. Layers trap heat beneath them, keeping your little one warm without the need for heavy, bulky clothing. Layering not only helps in preventing them from overheating, but also allows you to adjust their clothing to suit indoor and outdoor temperatures easily.
Avoiding burn hazards: While you may be anxious to ensure your little one doesn’t get cold, it’s very important not to expose their sensitive skin directly to strong heating mechanisms such as hot water bottles and heating pads. Not only do hot water bottles increase the risk of a burn by hot water, but can easily cause scalds when placed on the skin—even without leakage.
Safe alternatives: Instead, opt for risk-free alternatives like warm, fleece sleepwear or wearable blankets designed for babies. These options will keep your little one warm, without exposing them to the dangers or direct heat sources.
Safe Use of Heating Devices
Of course, we can’t completely avoid the use of heating devices during the chilly months—especially in the country’s particularly cooler climates such as Victoria, South Australia or Tasmania. Knowing how to use these devices safely is critical to preventing burns. Here are our top tips:
Space heaters: Ensure these are placed out of reach of tiny hands and away from flammable materials like curtains or furniture. Don’t use them to warm up or dry your clothes! Also, always make sure the heater is on a stable surface to prevent it from tipping over and causing a fire, or a burn by hot water in the case of radiator heaters.
Wood heaters and fireplaces: While these undeniably add a cosy ambiance to your home during winter, use them with caution—especially with curious little ones wandering around! Installing safety guards around the fireplace is an effective way to prevent accidental burns. And of course, don’t leave fire pokers where tiny hands can reach them.
Regular maintenance: Regardless of which heating device you use, ensuring they’re regularly checked and well maintained is vital to ensure they’re still functioning safetly.
Hot Liquids and Food
One of the biggest drivers of burn first aid in Australia is accidents that happen with hot liquids and food. Key considerations for preventing burns here include:
Kitchen safety: The kitchen is a high-risk area for burns. The best way to mitigate this is to establish it as a child-free zone while you cook, to avoid them being splashed by hot liquids or touching hot surfaces. Getting into the habit of turning pan and pot handles away from the cooktop or using the backburners is also a good idea.
Handling hot drinks: While parents deserve coffee perhaps more than anyone, holding a hot drink while holding your little one makes it easy for accidents to happen. Ensure you keep all hot beverages out of their reach.
Feeding practices: It’s important to ensure food and/or formula is thoroughly heated, but make sure it’s cooled properly before feeding it to your child. Microwaving bottles is not recommended as it can cause uneven heating.
Bath Time Safety
Bathtime should be a relaxing time for both you and bub, but beware of accidental burns. Here’s what to be vigilant about:
Water temperature: Before you pop your little one in the tub, test the water to ensure it’s between 37°C and 38°C—(98.6°F and 100.4°F). Remember, our skin tolerance is different from a baby’s—so it’s safest to test with a thermometer rather than relying on your own senses.
Hot water heater settings: Sometimes, our home water systems are set to high temperatures that can be very damaging to a child’s skin. The recommended setting for a home water heating system is a maximum of 49°C/120°F to prevent scalding.
Supervision: It goes without saying that babies and small children should never be left unattended in a bath. Even a few short seconds can be extremely dangerous, so ensure they’re supervised at all times.
Winter Travel Safety
Winter travel requires extra precautions when it comes to preventing burns. Particularly when it comes to:
Car seat warmers: These can reach unsafe temperatures that are unsafe for babies, especially when directly exposed to their skin for long periods of time.
Winter car kit: As a safer alternative to seat warmers and prepare for unforeseen circumstances (like the heating breaking while you’re stuck in traffic) keep a few items in the car to ensure your baby stays warm—this includes extra blankets, and layers of clothing.
Hot drinks in the car: Make sure you don’t place these in cup holders where they could spill and cause burns. Store them in a secure, spill-proof container or wait until you’ve reached your destination.
Conclusion
Winter brings unique considerations for parents, but preventing burns at home doesn’t have to be a major source of stress if you implement the strategies above. If you have more burning questions such as—can you ice burns? And—what first aid should be given for burns at home? We offer public, private, and online baby and first aid courses that empower parents with skills for preventing burns and to act confidently in emergencies.
Want to feel confident about preventing burns for your little ones? Tiny Hearts Baby and Child First Aid course empowers parents to act calmly and confidently in times of need. From head injuries to CPR, Tiny Hearts provide the knowledge to save a life.
