Don’t let your child become a statistic: essential tips to prevent burns

As winter creeps in, hospitals in the Western Cape brace for a devastating and familiar pattern: a sharp rise in young children arriving with horrific burns — many of them avoidable. In just one year, the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital treated over 3,000 children for burns, with 586 needing admission. Most were scalded by boiling water, hot drinks or bathwater — and more than 80% of these cases were entirely preventable.

“It happened so quickly. One minute I was preparing the cold water for her bath and the next, she was hurt. She pulled the kettle’s cord and the hot water from the kettle caused burns,” said a mother whose daughter was admitted to the burns unit.

Marking Burns Awareness Week this May, the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness, the Children’s Hospital Trust, and ChildSafe South Africa are urging urgent vigilance. Most burns occur between May and August — a time when caregivers, desperate to stay warm, unintentionally put children at risk.

Dr Tome Mendes, head of surgical care in the Burns Unit at Red Cross, said: “Unfortunately, many of the injuries we see are major – requiring admission for weeks to months and resulting in inevitable long-term complications for the patient, as well as their families. We also know that most of the injuries we see were honest accidents – many of which could have been prevented had there been more awareness around how to prevent a burn, as well as how to react and deliver first aid in the event of a burn.”

Dr Elaine Erasmus, paediatric emergency specialist at Tygerberg Hospital, warned: “A burn is not just a skin injury; it’s a lifelong wound to a child’s future.”

Zaitoon Rabaney, Executive Director at ChildSafe South Africa, added: “Prevention remains the most effective way to protect children from the devastating impact of burn injuries. By addressing risks at home, in schools and in our communities, we can significantly reduce these life-altering injuries.”

The statistics:

• 1 in every 39 children under the age of five suffers a burn injury each year in South Africa

• 90% of burns happen at home — mostly in the kitchen

• The vast majority affect children under five

Preventative measures could save lives and futures:

• Always supervise small children

• Turn pot handles inward

• Keep hot drinks, cords, and kettles out of reach

• Test bathwater with your elbow — not your hand

• Cool fires and embers completely

• Never use oils or creams on a fresh burn — cool with water and cover with a clean cloth.

In the event of a burn:

• Cool the burn with clean, running water for 20 minutes

• Cover with a clean, wet cloth

• Avoid any home remedies or creams

• Seek medical help or call 10177 for emergency services

Chantal Cooper, CEO of the Children’s Hospital Trust, explained the broader strategy behind the Burns Project: “We aim to strengthen burn services for children across the Western Cape, ensuring earlier interventions, improved outcomes and reduced burdens on families residing far from Cape Town. These efforts aim to decentralise specialised burn care, making it accessible to children closer to home.”

The Department of Health and Wellness is calling on all South Africans to learn the signs, act early, and help prevent what should never happen: a child severely burned at home.

More information and safety tips can be found at: https://childsafe.org.za/burns/

tracy-lynn.ruiters@inl.co.za

Weekend Argus