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Mayo Clinic Housecall
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Prevention
By Mayo Clinic staffTo reduce your risk of common household burns:
- Never leave items cooking on the stove unattended.
- Turn pot handles toward the rear of the stove.
- Use sturdy oven mitts that cover hands and wrists.
- Keep hot liquids out of the reach of children and pets.
- Never cook while wearing loosefitting clothes that could catch fire over the stove.
- Keep space heaters away from combustible materials.
- If you must smoke, avoid smoking in the house and especially never smoke in bed.
- Check your smoke detectors and change their batteries yearly.
- Keep chemicals, lighters and matches out of the reach of children.
- Set your water heater's thermostat between 120 and 130 F (49 to 54 C) to prevent scalding.
References
- Sheridan RL. Thermal injuries. In: Wolff K, et al. Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine. 7th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2974407. Accessed Feb. 1, 2010.
- Singer AJ, et al. Thermal burns. In: Marx JA, et al. Rosen's Emergency Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/linkTo?type=bookPage&isbn=978-0-323-05472-0&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05472-0..00060-8. Accessed Feb. 1, 2010.
- Morgan ED, et al. Treatment of minor thermal burns. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 1, 2010.
- Rice PL Jr. Emergency care of moderate and severe thermal burns in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 1, 2010.
- Burns. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec21/ch315/ch315a.html?qt=burns&alt=sh#. Accessed Feb. 4, 2010.
- Burns: Avoiding household burns. American College of Emergency Physicians. http://www3.acep.org/patients.aspx?id=25990. Accessed Feb. 3, 2010.
- Mass casualties: Burns. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. www.bt.cdc.gov/masscasualties/burns.asp. Accessed Feb. 4, 2010.
- Claypool DW (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Feb. 22, 2010.
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