Prevention of Pediatric Burns

Public education campaigns have played a key role in reducing the incidence of childhood burns in recent years. An example of this is children’s famil­iarity with the “Stop, drop, and roll” practice taught by firefighters around the country. Other tactics related to reducing burn incidence include reducing hot water heater temperatures to 120 degrees, turn­ing pot handles to the back of the stove, using back burners on the stove, keeping irons off the floor, using smoke detectors and outlet covers, and proper storage of chemicals. Public educational materi­als related to fire safety are available through the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and American Burn Association (124,170).