Prevention Tips

To prevent burns from fires:

Be alarmed. Install and maintain smoke alarms in your home—on every floor and near all 

rooms family members sleep in. Test your smoke alarms once a month to make sure they 

are working properly. 

Have an escape plan. Create and practice a family fire escape plan, and involve kids in 

the planning. Make sure everyone knows at least two ways out of every room and identify 

a central meeting place outside. 

Cook with care. Use safe cooking practices, such as never leaving food unattended on 

the stove. Also, supervise young children whenever they’re near cooking surfaces. 

To prevent burns from scalding water:

Check water heater temperature. Set your water heater’s thermostat to 120 degrees 

Fahrenheit or lower. Infants who aren’t walking yet can’t get out of water that may be too 

hot, and maintaining a constant thermostat setting can help control the water temperature 

throughout your home—preventing it from getting too high.

Please visit www.cdc.gov/safechild for podcasts, tip sheets, and other information on the 

leading causes of child injury and steps you can take to protect the children you love.

The Reality

Protect the ones you love

BURNS

Child injuries are preventable

We all want to keep our children safe and secure and help them live to 

their full potential. Knowing how to prevent leading causes of child injury, like burns, is a step 

toward this goal.

Every day, 435 children ages 0 to 19 are treated in emergency rooms for burn-related injuries 

and two children die as a result of being burned.

Younger children are more likely to sustain injuries from scald burns that are caused by hot 

liquids or steam, while older children are more likely to sustain injuries from flame burns that 

are caused by direct contact with fire. 

Thankfully, there are ways you can help protect the children you love from burns. 
The Burden of Child Injury, 

Unintentional Injury Deaths

Ages 1–19, United States, 2000–2005

Non-Injury

57,373

(38%)

Intentional Injury

27,222

(18%)

Unintentional Injury

67,169

(44%)

•	 Across	the	United	States,	

injuries are the leading cause of 

death among children ages 19 

and younger.

•	 About	33	children	die	every	

day because of injuries.

•	 Each	year,	nearly	9.2	million	

children aged 0 to 19 years are 

seen in emergency departments 

for injuries, and 12,175 

children die as a result of being 

injured.

CS122251

In addition to doing all you can to protect a child from being injured 

because of a burn, follow these steps to prevent other leading causes of 

injuries:

Drownings —Drownings can happen quickly and quietly, but installing four-sided 

fences, with self-closing and self-latching gates, around backyard swimming pools can 

make a life-saving difference by keeping kids away from the water when you’re not 

there to supervise.

Falls —Falls can happen at the playground or at home. To protect your child, check 

playground equipment to make sure it’s properly designed and maintained and that 

there’s a safe, soft landing surface below. 

Poisonings —Everyday household products can be poisonous to children, but you 

can safeguard your home. Keep medicines and toxic products, such as cleaning 

solutions, in locked or childproof cabinets.

Road traffic injuries —To make injuries less likely when you’re on the road with 

kids, always use seat belts, child safety seats, and booster seats that are appropriate 

for your child’s age and weight.

www.cdc.gov/safechild