大象传媒

The Children鈥檚 Burns Trust is issuing an urgent appeal to parents and carers following a worrying 55% increase in hot water bottle burns to children.

Ken Dunn from the trust says: 鈥淲e are simply asking that people learn from the experiences of some of our unfortunate injuries and inspect the bottles carefully before use and don鈥檛 fill it with boiling water because it deteriorates the materials even faster.鈥�

New research has been released ahead of National Burn Awareness Day 2024 (16 October), showing that burns and scalds to children in the first eight months of 2024 increased by 121% compared with the same period in 2021.

Below are the tips shared by Dunn on behalf of The Children鈥檚 Burns Trust on how to keep safe when using a hot water bottle:

* Use hot water, but avoid boiling temperatures and fill up to three-quarters only to minimize bursting risks.
* Remove all air above the water level before sealing and ensure the stopper is tightly secured.
* Wrap the bottle in a cloth or towel to avoid direct skin contact.
* Refrain from taking the bottle to bed or sitting on it
* Avoid using with an electric blanket
* Replace your bottle every two years and regularly inspect for wear and tear.

This clip is originally from 5 Live Breakfast on October 15th 2024.

Show less