3 Ways to Protect SC Children from Burn Injuries
Written by Kenneth BergerA burn injury to a child can be devastating to the young person, as well as his family. As a Columbia attorney for burn victims, I have seen the long-term consequences that a childhood accident can cause. Approximately 10,000 children suffer burn injuries in our country every year. Memories of the accident, like the scars, often last a lifetime. While part of my job is to advocate on behalf of the victim, I believe it is also my responsibility to teach the public how these accidents might be avoided. Please consider the following suggestions, taken from the Richland County Fire Department and National Fire Prevention Association:
Teach your children that candles can be as dangerous as they are attractive. Each day, 35 home fires are started by candles in the U.S. Since 2005, more than 1,000 people have been injured by home fires that began with candles. Many times these fires start when an object is placed too close to the flame.
Make sure your children are supervised when they cook. As the child of a single-father, I learned to cook when I was young. We did not always follow this safety rule, but it is a good one. Cooking equipment is the leading cause of home fires. It is also a leading cause of home fire deaths. In addition to home fires, unattended cooking can result in stovetop burns, microwave scalding, and spill burns.
Demonstrate firework safety and talk about the consequences of unsafe action. Each year, 1000s of Americans end up in emergency rooms because of firework injuries. While many of these injuries are to hands and fingers, the large majority are to other body parts, including the head, face, and eyes. Even more disturbing, almost half of all people hurt by fireworks are under age 15. Help reduce these numbers by discussing them with your kids.
Columbia burn injury lawyers know all too well the hardships that families endure when a child sustains an injury due to fireworks, a kitchen accident, or home fire. Though I receive great fulfillment fighting to ensure justice for young victims, I wish there was no such thing as burn injuries to children. Let us all therefore work together to make our communities, homes, and families safer. To find out how we can be of help, call me at (803) 220-4677.
