Microwaves a Menace for Young Kids

-- Every year, young children suffer burns when they remove hot liquids from microwave ovens, a new study finds.

Children as young as 18 months can open a microwave, remove the hot substance, and scald themselves. These burns can result in serious injuries that often required skin grafting and intensive care.

"Scalds are the leading cause of burn-related emergency room visits and hospitalizations for young children under 5," said lead researcher Dr. Gina Lowell, with the department of pediatrics at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

Most of the scalds suffered by young children that require hospitalization are caused by hot foods or drinks, according to the findings, published in the October issue ofPediatrics.
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"Parents need to recognize that children can burn themselves this way," Lowell said. "The microwave is a danger area."

Parents should tell their toddlers that when the bell on the microwave rings: "Mommy or daddy gets it first," Lowell said. "It's inappropriate for any child under 5 to be pulling anything out of the microwave."

For the study, Lowell's team looked at the medical records of children under 5 who were admitted to the University of Chicago burn center between January 2002 and December 2004. One hundred forty had scald burns, with 94 caused by hot foods or liquids.

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