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Cooking Burns are Common Threat to Very Young, Very Old

(PITTSBURGH, PA) During Burn Awareness Week (Feb. 6-12, 2022) AHN West Penn Hospital’s Burn Center, along with the American Burn Association (ABA), is raising awareness of the most common type of burn affecting children, adults and senior citizens – cooking burns.

According to the ABA, 47 percent of all home fires are caused by cooking, and older adults are particularly vulnerable due to physical, visual, hearing or mental impairments that can slow reaction in the event of a fire emergency. Children are also at high risk due to their less-developed motor skills and dependence on adults for supervision and instruction.

“Cooking-related burns are the most common type of burns we see here at West Penn, and we are very glad to join the ABA in bringing attention to this important issue,” said Ariel Aballay, MD, medical director of the West Penn Burn Center. “Most of us spend time in the kitchen every day, and the daily routine makes it easy to forget the dangers of boiling water and hot surfaces.”

“Burns are painful injuries and can be psychologically devastating, particularly when scarring is highly visible. Young children and older adults are particularly vulnerable to a severe burn injury because their skin is more delicate than an adult’s,” Dr. Aballay said. “We recommend all adults take simple precautions to help their loved ones and themselves avoid falling victim to a burn injury.”

Some of those precautions include:

• Wear short or close-fitting sleeves when cooking. Keep a pan lid and potholders or oven lids nearby every time you cook.
• Cook on the back burners when possible. Always turn pot handles toward the back of the stove.
• When using the microwave, use cookware that allows steam to escape. Allow food to rest before removing from the microwave.
• Never leave the house while cooking, and set a timer to remind you to check on the food. Make a habit of double-checking after cooking to make sure all burners and appliances are turned off.
• If a fire does start, cover the pan with a lid or cookie sheet until it cools down. Never move the pan. Turn the heat off. If the fire is inside the oven or microwave turn it off and keep the door shut until it is cool. Never attempt to put out the fire with water.
• Enforce a three-foot “safe zone” around the oven for young children. Don’t let appliance cords or cloths dangle from counters where children can pull them down. Do not allow young children to use a microwave.
• Teach children safe cooking practices such as always using potholders when handling hot food.

 

West Penn Burn Center, a nationally recognized leader in innovative burn care, is the only burn center in western Pennsylvania verified by the American Burn Association and the American College of Surgeons for the treatment of adults and children. This distinction recognizes West Penn Burn Center’s exemplary care for children and adults from the time of injury to rehabilitation. West Penn Burn Center’s innovative pediatric burn program includes its free annual summer camp, open to children ages 7 to 17 who have been treated at the West Penn Burn Center. The five-day camp offers children with burn injuries a chance to meet and bond with children who have experienced similar injuries, and build confidence while having fun.