Your child has no way of knowing that an exhaust pipe, a small iron or any other hot surface can hurt and burn, or that hot water can burn in the same way fires can. The best way to prevent burns is to keep your child away from fire and hot surfaces, and to keep a close eye on him whenever he’s anywhere near things that can burn.

Get immediate medical help from a doctor, hospital or medical centre if:
  • a burn or scald is the size of a 20-cent piece or larger
  • the skin looks raw, angry or blistered
  • the pain persists or is severe.
Always call an ambulance if a burn is larger than the size of the child’s hand, or is on the face, neck or genitals.

How to prevent burns

  • Supervise children constantly – especially around stoves, ovens, microwaves, heaters and other appliances.
  • Turn handles on pots and pans towards the back of the stove when cooking.
  • Buy children close-fitting nightwear and dressing gowns with ‘low fire danger’ labels.
  • Install guards around heaters to discourage children from standing too close.
  • Install a fixed fire guard around any open fires or electric or gas heaters.
  • Install a guard around the hot plates on your stove.
  • Lock matches and cigarette lighters up high and out of reach.
  • Smoke away from children.
  • Save ironing for after your children are asleep. You could also put your children (or you!) in a playpen while you iron.
  • Always supervise children carefully around any naked flames, such as open fires, gas burners, incense burners and candles.
  • Keep a close watch on children while the barbecue is heating up, being used or cooling down – some barbecues can keep their heat for hours. Extinguish embers and briquettes with water, and rake ashes so they lose their heat more quickly.

  • Fires can start as a result of cooking accidents, smouldering cigarettes, electrical faults, candles, incense and children playing with lighters and matches. Find out what you can do to prevent fires. Develop and practise a plan in case there’s a fire in your home.

The dangers and what you can do about them

Indoors
Hot surfaces What you can do about them
Heaters (electric, hydronic, wood-fired) and smouldering ashes in fireplaces  Fire guards
Stoves and hot oven doors Stove guards
Pots and pans, toasters, sandwich presses, slow cookers and rice cookers Keep children out of the kitchen while you’re cooking
Hot water, such as bathwater and dishwater  Turn down your thermostat so water isn’t hot enough to instantly scald
Hot drinks, such as cups of tea and coffee Give your baby to someone else to hold while you have hot drinks
Cigarettes, pipes and cigars Ask smokers to keep these out of reach
Irons Use a playpen – either stand in one to iron or put your child in one while you iron
Bedside lamps and most hot surfaces, including light bulbs  Try to keep these out of reach, or unplugged, until your child is old enough (about three) to understand that they burn

Common outdoor dangers

  • Barbecues and outdoor grills pose a danger both during cooking and afterwards, as they take time to cool down.
  • Gas heaters commonly used on patios can topple over.
  • Exhaust pipes, especially on motorbikes, are easy to reach and can cause serious burns.
  • Seatbelt buckles can become very hot in high temperatures.
  • Tools, such as blow torches and soldering irons, should be kept locked away.
  • Lawnmowers retain heat for several minutes after the grass has been cut.
  • Metal playground equipment, especially slides, can get hot enough to burn a child.
  • Campfires left unattended can be a risk. Afterwards, the embers, coals and ashes can stay hot for up to eight hours after the fire has been buried under dirt or sand.
  • Bushfires can be a risk, particularly when people try to outrun them in cars or on foot. Read the Country Fire Authority’s guide to making a bushfire plan if there’s a chance of a bushfire in your area.

First aid for burns

  1. Make sure the area is safe, and that there’s no further risk of injury. Take the child to a safe place if possible.
  2. Take off the child’s clothing immediately, but only if it’s not stuck to the skin. Remove any watches or jewellery the child is wearing, but only if you can do it without causing any more pain or injury.
  3. Treat the burn with cold tap water only. Cool the burned area under running cold tap water for a minimum of 10 minutes but no longer than 20 minutes. This will reduce tissue damage and pain. This is useful for up to three hours after the burn. Hold the child to provide comfort.
  4. Cover the burn with a loose, light, non-sticky dressing,such as plastic wrap or a clean, wet cloth. Raise burnt limbs.

If you’re not sure how severe the burn is, contact a doctor, hospital or medical centre immediately.

Call an ambulance if:

  • the burn is to the face, airway, hands or genitals
  • the burn is larger than the size of the child’s hand.

Definitely go to a doctor, hospital or medical centre if:

  • the burn or scald is the size of a 20-cent piece or larger
  • the burn is deep, even if the child doesn’t feel any pain
  • the burn looks raw, angry or blistered
  • the pain persists or is severe
  • you’re not sure how bad the burn is.

Things not to do with burns

  • Don’t peel off any clothing that’s stuck to the burn. Don’t break any blisters.
  • Don’t apply ice, iced water, lotions, moisturisers, oil, ointments, creams or powders to the burn. These will only need to be removed to treat the burn properly. Butter or flour can make the damage worse.
  • If the burn is large, don’t cool it for longer than 20 minutes. This is because hypothermia can occur quickly in children.
 
 
 
  • Last Updated 10-01-2011
  • Last Reviewed 31-05-2010

  • Cassell, E., Clapperton, A., & Ashby, K. (2004). Unintentional burns and scalds in vulnerable populations: The very young and the very old, Victoria July 2001 to June 2003. Hazard, 57(Autumn), 1-17.

    Turner, C., Spinks, A., McClure, R., & Nixon, J. (2004). Community-based interventions for the prevention of burns and scalds in children. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2.