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Fact Sheet on Hot Water Scalds
09/08/1999
Why are scalds a major health issue?
Burns and scalds are the third most common cause of admission to hospital for children under five years of age. This type of injury often causes pain and in some cases requires long term medical treatment and possibly skin grafting and scarring.
The treatment of scalds to children under five years of age costs the Victorian community on average $5 million every year.
What is a scald?
A scald is a burn injury caused by hot liquids such as water, coffee, tea, cooking oil, hot foods such as soup and hot vapour or steam.
Did you know…
Hospital presentations:
Approximately 350 children under five years of age present to hospitals in Victoria each year for the treatment of scalds.
Approximately 140 of these injuries will be caused by hot water.
Hospital admissions:
Approximately 67 children per year will be admitted to hospital from a scald caused by hot tap water.
What are the causes of scalds to children under five years of age in the home?
Source: Monash University Accident Research Centre 1999
While hot drinks cause more scalds in the home, hot tap water causes the most serious scalds to young children. The bathroom accounts for 80% of all hot tap water scalds.
Bathroom hot tap water scalds
How do these scalds occur?
More than one third of these are caused by the hot water in the bathtub – ie the child is splashed by, gets into, falls into or is placed in a tub of water that is hot enough to scald.
Another one third occur when the hot tap in the bath is turned on or the cold tap turned off therefore causing hot water to run over the child.
Who is at risk?
Children under three years of age represent 75% of the children scalded.
Approximately 10% of these cases are serious and require an admission to hospital of longer than six days, with most requiring an average of four hospital repeat visits. Scald injuries require the longest stay in hospital and are also one of the most serious, painful and long-term injuries.
What is SAFE bathroom hot water?
The average temperature for domestic hot tap water in most Victorian homes is 65-70 C.
The ideal maximum, safe temperature for hot tap water is 50 C.
The maximum bathing temperature recommended for young children is 38 C.
What can be done to prevent bathroom hot tap water scalds?
Control the temperature of the bathroom hot tap water to a maximum of 50 degrees Celsius. New regulations apply in Victoria. Talk to your licensed plumber.
When running a bath: Run cold water first, add the hot water and then run cold water last.
Mix the water to ensure there aren’t any hot spots.
Test the water before bathing your child using the inside of your wrist. Hold your wrist in the water for a slow count of five. It should be comfortably warm, not hot.
Stay with your children while they are in the bathroom.
Take the child with you if you have to answer the door or the telephone.
Keep the bathroom door closed when not in use.
First aid for scalds:
Quickly remove clothing, if you can. This helps the heat escape from the skin. Leave the clothes on, however, if stuck to the skin. This will avoid further major skin damage.
Immediately pour lots of cold water gently over the scald for 15 – 20 minutes.
Never use ice, oil, butter or ointments. These can further damage the skin.
Cover the scald with a clean cloth.
Keep the child warm with a blanket.
See a doctor if the scald is on the hands, feet, genitals or buttocks, if it is larger than a 20c coin, or blistered.
In an emergency telephone 000 for an ambulance.
For further information see the Kidsafe Hot Water Burns Like Fire brochure and websites at
http://www.medialaunch.com.au and http://www.childsafety.com.au
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