B.C. Children's Hospital is hoping to reduce the number of burn injuries with a new program.
The Too Hot for Tots! program is aimed at educating parents about burn hazards and ways to effectively "burn proof" the home.
Each year, the hospital treates as many as 130 young children with burns, most caused by hot liquids, hot tap water and hot surfaces - not fire, as most parents believe.
The majority of burns result from children pulling on a cord or reaching for something on a countertop and accidentally spilling hot liquid on their face, chest or arms, or while playing alone in a bathtub.
"A child's skin is four times thinner than an adult's," says Dr. Cindy Verchere, director of the B.C. Children's burn unit. "Heat moves very quickly to the lower layers and can cause significant damage in a matter of seconds."
The Too Hot For Tots! video and program material can be found online at www.bcchildrens.ca/saf estart.
