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The First Aid And Prevention Of Scalding |
By:
Dana Drewer |
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The First Aid And Prevention Of Scalding
Dana Drewer
Scalding, it can happen in an instant. One minute you're taking a nice hot shower then someone in the other bathroom turns on the cold water taking it from you and you're hit full blast with hot water straight from the hot water tank. You're in the kitchen boiling water for dinner, you go to the fridge for something hearing a strange sound you turn around only to see your toddler tipping over the pot of hot water.
Emergency rooms and first aid are needed every year for victims of scald injuries. 100 thousand people or more are burned by scalding hot liquids. Most of these accidents happen in the home. In some cases all it takes is a water temperature of 120 degrees F to be scalded. It all depends on the age and area affected of the victim. Children under the age of 5 and the elderly are among the most affected.
Scalding is a type of burn injury caused by exposure to hot fluids or gasses such as hot water, cooking oil, or steam. Scalding is a second-degree burn which is deeper and results in blistering or worse. Scalding with hot water or very severe sunburn are common instances of second-degree burns. First aid can be used on the smaller affected areas.
Did you know if you were exposed to water at a temperature of 140 degrees F no matter what age, you could be scalded. It can happen in less than 10 seconds. That is why you must be cautious when in facilities such as hospitals or other medical centers where they need hot water to kill the spread of bacteria. Usually the water in their laundry and diswashers are set at that high of a temperature.
If you move into a new residence, check the hot water tank thermostat. If you are unable to adjust the temperature yourself, contact your local health department or fire department, they will come and assess how your hot water tank is working and how hot the water is. There is no charge for this service. The best way in first aid prevention of such burns at home is to set your hot water tank at 120 degrees F.
Another way of first aid prevention of scalds that come from cooking is. When a child that doesn't know any better will reach onto the stove and tip over a pan of hot liquid. To prevent this, always place cooking utensils on the back burners of the stove when using. This will prevent your child from grabbing them. It is also wise to teach your child that the stove top is a dangerous thing.
Never place your body directly into water until you test the water to be sure of the temperature. A baby's skin is very sensitive to heat and can scald in seconds. Always test a baby's water with your wrist before placing them in the water. There are temperature controls that can be installed on many hot water lines to prevent scalding in showers and in sink taps, when someone else uses cold water in another part of the home.
If blistering occures on the scaled area, DO NOT BREAK the blisters. The best thing to do if it is a minor burn is to apply cold water or ice to the burned area for a minimum of 5 minutes. Don't allow the burned area to turn numb as this could cause frostbite. If this is a minor burn, the use of acetaminophen such as Tylenol can be used to reduce pain, the use of cream or sprays are not recommended.
First aid may not be the answer if it's a serious burn. Either contact or drive to the nearest medical facility immediately. Don't put the affected area under water. You may need to see a doctor and a antibiotics may be needed.
First Aid and Prevention,
Dana Drewer
Everything You Wanted to Know about http://first-aid.2pnz.com/) First Aid Treatment, but never asked, and the facts of http://www.first-aid.2pnz.com/aid/permalink.php?article=first+aid+burn+treatment.txt) First Aid Burn Treatment and by what means, ease your pain. Download your free copy of our special report!
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Article Source: http://www.PopularArticles.com/article151076.html |
Article: The First Aid And Prevention Of Scalding
Author: Dana Drewer
Total Views: 75
Word Count: 697
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