title: Tap water scald burns in children.
abstract: Tap water scald burns account for 7% to 17% of all childhood scald burns that require hospitalization. Often the burns are severe and disabling. Toddlers and preschool children are the most frequent victims. In 45% of the injuries, the unsupervised victim or peer turned on the tap water; in 28% the cause was abuse. Eighty percent of the homes tested had unsafe bathtub water temperatures of 54 C (130 F) or greater, exposing the occupants to the risk of full-thickness scald with 30-second exposure to hot water. Such burns may be prevented passively by limiting household water temperatures to less than 52 C (125 F). New water heaters could be preset at this temperature and families could be taught to turn down the temperature on existing units.
mesh_terms: D000061:Accidents, Home; D000293:Adolescent; D001494:Baths; D002056:Burns / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D013696:Temperature; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D014867:Water