Follow this simple advice from the Home Safety Council and H2otStop to help reduce the risk of burn and scald injuries at home:

Bathing

•  Set your water heater at 120ºF or just below the medium setting.

•  Fill the bathtub. Run your hand through the water to test for hot spots. Then help children get in. When children are in or near the tub, watch them closely. Young children and older people have thin skin. They burn more quickly.

•  Install special tub spouts and shower heads that prevent hot water burns. These can sense if the water gets hot enough to cause a burn and shut off the flow of water.

Cooking

•  Wear long oven mitts to protect your skin when cooking or handling hot food.

•  Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove so children cannot pull them down. Use back burners when cooking. Keep children away from the stove when you are cooking. Put tape on the floor around the stove/oven to help children learn to stay out of the “no-kid-zone.”

•  Food cooked in the microwave can get very hot and cause a burn. Use oven mitts when you take off the lid. Stir and test the food before serving to make sure it is cool enough to eat.

•  Keep hot drinks away from the edge of tables and counters. Do not use tablecloths or placemats because young children can pull them down. Use a travel mug with a tight-fitting lid for all hot drinks. This can help prevent a burn if the cup tips over.

•  Do not hold or carry a child while you have a hot drink in your hand. Put only cold drinks in the cup holder of your child’s stroller and child safety seat.

If a burn occurs:

•  Cool it with running water. Do this right away.

•  Keep the burned area in cool water for 3 minutes or longer. Do not put ice, butter, or lotion on the burn. This could make it worse.

•  Call your doctor or 911 if the burn looks bad.