Young children in East Renfrewshire at ‘high risk’ of scald injuries

And one in eight reported their child had been scalded within the last 12 months.

Over the past year, Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has worked with East Renfrewshire Council and Care of Burns in Scotland (COBIS) to undertake preliminary research on the prevalence of scald injuries in the area, as well as the extent of first aid knowledge on burns and scalds amongst parents of young children.

Carlene McAvoy, community safety development manager, said: “Roughly one in eight respondents in the research reported that their child had been scalded in the last 12 months, while 26 per cent reported that their child had been scalded at some point in their lifetime.

“These statistics highlight that burns and scalds are still a high risk for young children.

“In addition, the seriousness of this injury makes the topic even more important for prevention professionals. The results of this report suggest the need for ongoing commitment in this topic area.”

In addition to gathering information, a coaster with a scald prevention message was given to each parent, as well as a fridge magnet from the STOP first aid advice.

RoSPA provides key advice and information to help prevent burns and scalds and this can be accessed at RoSPA’s website

The research report is also available online.

The research was carried out in East Renfrewshire but provides weight to the necessity for practitioners to continue to raise the issue of potential burns and scalds with families of young children across Scotland.