How to Prevent Burns and Scalds in Babies

Burns and scalds can happen very quickly, especially once a baby starts reaching, grabbing or moving around independently. The reassuring part is that many everyday risks can be reduced with a few simple habits.

Keep hot drinks, hot water, cooking equipment, heaters and recently used appliances well out of your baby’s reach. Never hold your baby while carrying a hot drink, prepare bath water carefully, and start thinking about hazards before your baby is mobile.

You do not need to make your home completely risk-free. Focus on the places where heat and babies are most likely to meet, particularly the kitchen, bathroom and living areas.

What is the difference between a burn and a scald?

A burn is damage caused by dry heat, such as a hot iron, fire, radiator or hair straightener.

A scald is caused by wet heat, such as hot water, steam or a hot drink.

For parents, the distinction is less important than recognising that both can seriously injure a baby’s delicate skin.

Babies also change quickly. A mug that was safely out of reach last month may suddenly be accessible once your baby can roll, crawl, pull themselves up or reach further across a surface.

Regularly looking at your home from your baby’s changing point of view is one of the most practical ways to prevent accidents.

Keep hot drinks well out of reach

Hot drinks are one of the biggest everyday scald risks for young children.

RoSPA says hot drinks are the leading cause of scald injuries among children under five and warns that a hot drink can still scald a child 15 minutes after it has been made.

Keep tea, coffee and other hot drinks well back from the edges of tables and worktops.

Avoid putting a hot mug on a low coffee table, bedside table or anywhere your baby may soon be able to reach.

Tablecloths can create another risk because a mobile baby may pull the cloth and bring a hot drink down with it.

A simple rule helps: if your baby could potentially reach it, do not put a hot drink there.

Avoid holding your baby and a hot drink together

Holding your baby while drinking tea or coffee may feel harmless, especially before they become mobile.

RoSPA advises never holding a hot drink and a child at the same time.

Babies can move suddenly. A kick, grab or unexpected wriggle can be enough to spill hot liquid.

Put your baby somewhere safe before making, carrying or drinking something hot.

Ask visitors to follow the same rule. Someone who does not regularly spend time around babies may not automatically think about where they place a hot mug.

Make the kitchen harder for babies to access

The kitchen contains several potential burn hazards in one small space, including boiling water, pans, ovens, kettles and hot food.

RoSPA recommends keeping small children out of the kitchen while cooking whenever possible.

If your baby is nearby, create a safe space away from the cooker and worktops rather than holding them while preparing hot food.

As your baby becomes mobile, remember that cupboards and low drawers may also contain appliances, matches or other dangerous items.

A safety gate can be useful in some homes, but no single product replaces sensible storage and supervision.

Turn pan handles away from the edge

Use the back rings of the hob where practical and turn pan handles away from the front.

This reduces the chance that a child can reach up and pull a pan down.

It is a useful habit to establish before your baby is tall enough to reach the hob because it quickly becomes automatic.

Take similar care with hot oven trays, dishes and food that has just come out of a microwave.

Place hot items well back from the edge of the worktop while they cool.

Keep kettles and their cords out of reach

A kettle should sit towards the back of the worktop where a baby or toddler cannot reach it.

Keep the cord out of reach too.

RoSPA suggests using a coiled lead on a kettle to reduce the risk of a child pulling the appliance towards themselves.

The same principle applies to other appliances containing hot liquid.

Do not assume something is safe simply because your baby cannot reach the appliance itself. A dangling cord may give them a way to pull it down.

Prepare bath water carefully

Hot bath water can cause severe scald injuries in young children.

RoSPA recommends running cold water first and then adding hot water. Mix the water thoroughly before checking the temperature.

Only put your baby into the bath once you have finished running the water and checked that it feels comfortably warm rather than hot.

Never add hot water while your baby is sitting in the bath.

Stay with your baby throughout bath time. If you need to leave the bathroom, take your baby out of the water and bring them with you.

A thermostatic mixing valve can help control the temperature of water from a tap, but it does not replace checking the water before your baby gets in.

Watch out for hair straighteners and curling tools

Hair straighteners can remain hot long after you have finished using them.

RoSPA warns that hair straighteners can cause serious burns to children for up to 40 minutes after use.

Switch them off and put them somewhere safely out of reach immediately after using them. A suitable heat-resistant pouch can be useful for safe storage while they cool.

Do the same with curling irons, heated brushes and other hot styling tools.

Avoid leaving them cooling on the floor, a low dressing table or the edge of a bed.

Remember the cable too. A baby may be able to pull an appliance down even if they cannot directly reach the hot part.

Keep irons and other hot appliances away

An iron can remain dangerously hot after it has been switched off.

Keep both the iron and its cord well away from your baby while it is being used and while it cools.

The same principle applies to steamers and other heated household appliances.

If possible, use these items when your baby is somewhere safe and separate from the immediate area.

Afterwards, store them securely rather than leaving them where an increasingly curious baby may find them.

Guard fires and heaters

Open fires, wood burners and some heaters can cause serious burns.

RoSPA advises keeping fires and heaters properly guarded, particularly where young children are present.

A fireguard should be securely fitted rather than simply placed in front of the fire where a child could move it.

Keep your baby’s play area and sleep space away from heaters, fires and hot surfaces.

Portable heaters need particular care because they can be moved, knocked or approached from different directions.

Always follow the manufacturer’s safety instructions for any heating appliance in your home.

Keep matches and lighters locked away

Matches and lighters should be stored somewhere children cannot reach or access.

RoSPA recommends keeping them out of reach, preferably in a high, lockable cupboard.

Do not rely on a baby being too young to understand how an object works.

As children become mobile, they explore with their hands and mouths. Safe storage should therefore begin before you think they could deliberately use the item.

The same applies to candles. Keep lit candles away from babies and children and never leave them burning unattended.

Be careful with hot food

Freshly cooked food can also cause scalds.

Place hot bowls and plates towards the back of tables and worktops rather than near an edge.

Be especially careful with hot soups, sauces and drinks that could spill across a larger area of skin.

Check the temperature of food before feeding your baby.

Food heated in a microwave can develop hot spots, so stir it thoroughly and check the temperature before offering it.

Do not carry your baby at the same time as carrying a pan, baking tray or container of very hot food.

Think about hot water bottles

Hot water bottles can cause serious burns if they leak, burst or remain against the skin.

Do not put a hot water bottle in your baby’s cot or sleep space.

Babies should sleep in a clear sleep space following safer sleep guidance, without hot water bottles or other heated objects.

Store hot water bottles away from children when they are not being used.

If adults in the household use them, inspect them regularly and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for filling, use and replacement.

Check chargers and electrical items

Burn prevention is not only about obvious sources of heat.

RoSPA warns that live mobile phone charger ends can cause serious burns if a child puts one in their mouth.

Switch chargers off when they are not being used and keep cables and plugs out of your baby’s reach.

Damaged electrical items should not be used.

As your baby becomes mobile, review sockets, charging areas and low-level cables around the home. Everyday objects that adults barely notice can become very interesting to a crawling baby.

Build safety habits before your baby starts crawling

You do not need to wait until your baby is mobile to make changes.

In fact, the weeks before crawling begins can be a useful time to develop safer habits.

You might start by:

moving hot drinks further back on surfaces
turning pan handles inward automatically
keeping kettle cords away from edges
putting straighteners away immediately after use
storing matches and lighters securely
checking where chargers are left
keeping hot appliances away from low surfaces

Once these actions become routine, you are less likely to rely on remembering them during a busy day.

What to do if your baby is burned or scalded

If a burn or scald happens, act promptly.

NHS guidance for burns and scalds in children says to remove clothing or jewellery near the burned area, including nappies, socks or shoes, unless something is stuck to the skin.

Immediately cool the burn under cool running water for 20 to 30 minutes.

Do not use ice or very cold water.

Keep the rest of your baby warm while cooling the injured area, as babies and young children can become cold.

After cooling, the NHS advises covering the area with cling film laid over the burn, rather than wrapped around it, or using a clean plastic bag or clean non-fluffy material where appropriate.

Do not put butter, toothpaste, creams, oils, gels or ointments on a burn, and do not deliberately burst blisters.

Because the person injured is a baby, seek medical advice rather than trying to judge the seriousness of the burn yourself.

When to get professional advice

Burns and scalds in babies should be medically assessed. Contact NHS 111, your GP, a minor injuries service or A&E as appropriate for advice after providing immediate first aid.

Call 999 for a serious injury or if your baby is struggling to breathe, is unresponsive or otherwise needs emergency help.

Chemical and electrical burns require urgent medical attention. NHS guidance advises calling 999 for an acid or chemical burn affecting the skin or eyes.

Do not delay cooling an ordinary heat burn while arranging help. Place the affected area under cool running water promptly and keep the rest of your baby warm.

If you are ever uncertain about the severity of a burn, seek medical advice. Burns can be more serious than they initially appear, particularly in babies and young children.