title: Behaviors of young children around microwave ovens.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Scald burn injuries are the leading cause of burn-related emergency room visits and hospitalizations for young children. A portion of these injuries occur when children are removing items from microwave ovens. This study assessed the ability of typically developing children aged 15 months to 5 years to operate, open, and remove the contents from a microwave oven.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Denver Developmental Screening Test II was administered to confirm typical development of the 40 subjects recruited. All children recruited and enrolled in this study showed no developmental delays in any domain in the Denver Developmental Screening Test II. Children were observed for the ability to open both a push and pull microwave oven door, to start the microwave oven, and to remove a cup from the microwave oven.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All children aged 4 years were able to open the microwaves, turn on the microwave, and remove the contents. Of the children aged 3 years, 87.5% were able to perform all study tasks. For children aged 2 years, 90% were able to open both microwaves, turn on the microwave, and remove the contents. In this study, children as young as 17 months could start a microwave oven, open the door, and remove the contents putting them at significant risk for scald burn injury.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prevention efforts to improve supervision and caregiver education have not lead to a significant reduction in scald injuries in young children. A redesign of microwave ovens might prevent young children from being able to open them thereby reducing risk of scald injury by this mechanism.
authors.affiliation: University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA. marla.robinson@uchospitals.edu
authors.forename: Marla R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Annemarie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: Lindsay
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.forename: Kristen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Connell
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tucker
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Strickland
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Kyran P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Quinlan
authors.forename: Lawrence J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Gottlieb
mesh_terms: D002056:Burns / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D002652:Child Behavior; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006794:Household Articles; D006795:Household Products / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois / Q000453:epidemiology; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008872:Microwaves / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires