16 October 2019
Hot drinks are the most common cause of burns to young children
Parents are being urged to take care with hot drinks in a
UK-wide campaign to tackle the most common cause of burns to young
children.
The SafeTea campaign, which launches today, is based on research
from the Children's Burns Research Centre based at the Bristol
Royal Hospital for Children.
The campaign is based on evidence collected at the research
centre by researchers from the University of Bristol, Cardiff
University and the University of the West of England, and is using
materials tested in collaboration with early years staff and
parents of young children in Cardiff and London.
Research shows that more than 50,000 children in the UK attend
hospital with burns each year, with the majority happening to
children under five. Hot drinks account for 60% of hospital
attendances with burns in children under 3 years - or 30 young
children every day across the UK.
Professor Alan Emond, who is from Bristol Medical School and who
headed up the Children's Burns Research Centre, said: "The key
messages of SafeTea are: keep hot drinks out of reach of children,
never pass a hot drink over a child, or hold a drink and a
baby at the same time. If a child is burned, the correct first aid
is Cool, Call, Cover: COOL the area under running water for 20
minutes; CALL NHS Direct or 999; COVER the area with clingfilm. The
moments following a burn are the most critical time for preventing
long-term damage and scaring."
Professor Alison Kemp, from Cardiff University's School of
Medicine, added: "There are thousands of incidents of hot drink
scalds every year, where potentially devastating injuries could be
prevented with a few simple steps.
Burns from hot drinks can cause serious and extensive skin
damage to a young child, with lifelong scarring and the need for
sustained medical treatment into adulthood. That's why we are
reminding parents to keep hot drinks well out of reach. Hot drinks
can cause damage to a child's skin even after 30 minutes. If a
child is burned, the recommended first aid is to cool the area
under running water for 20 minutes".
SafeTea will be launched on October 16th, National
Burns Awareness Day and the campaign will run on social media for 3
months: #SafeTea
@SafeTeacampaign
SafeTea is informed by scientific research undertaken by the
Children's Research Network funded by The Scar Free Foundation and
Health and Care Research Wales with financial support from the VTCT
Foundation, the British Burn Association, Worshipful Company of Tin
Plate Workers of the City of London, Cardiff City Region
Exchange and Cardiff University.
For more information, go to the SafeTea website: www.safetea.org.uk
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