Idaho Falls, Idaho (KIFI) – The American Burn Association (ABA) has dedicated this week as National Burn Awareness Week. As the only Burn Center in Idaho, the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center (EIRMC) treats hundreds of burn patients each year, including children.
Dr. Tait Olaveson, Medical Director of Burn Center at EIRMC, says he is particularly concerned about the rise in pediatric scald injuries treated at EIRMC. For the past three years, the number has continued to increase.
In 2024, fourteen children were hospitalized at EIRMC with scald injuries.
“Their skin is thinner and therefore it takes less temperature or time in contact with the skin to develop a severe burn,” Olaveson told Local News 8. “At 140 degrees, it only takes three seconds to develop a significant burn.”
The majority of Pediatric Burns occur in the kitchen
Dr. Olaveson says the #1 scalding risk for children is cooking with hot liquids.
The microwave tends to be a common place for children to perform their cooking, and removing hot items from the microwave can be dangerous. As a child pulls out a hot bowl of ramen or a mug of hot chocolate, the liquid can easily spill onto their skin.
Dr. Olaveson tells us, even soup from a microwave is hot enough to develop 3rd degree burns on a young child’s skin.
“Dead tissue doesn’t heal. So dead tissue has to be removed,” said Dr. Olaveson. “That’s typically done in surgery. So it’s less painful and less morbidity for that patient, particularly pediatric population. From that aspect, their likelihood of needing to have a skin graft is high, particularly with the third degree.”
Responding to pediatric burns
If your child suffers a scald injury:
1) Cool the burn with COOL (not cold) water to stop the burning process. Do not use ice, butter or lotions.
2) Remove all clothing and/or diaper from the injured area.
3) Cover the area with a clean dry sheet or bandages.
4) Seek medical help. If the skin has blistering, bring them to EIRMC’s ED or outpatient Burn, Trauma, Wound Clinic to be seen. EIRMC’s Burn Center has capability to help treat pediatric patients so they have less pain and improved outcomes during the healing process.
