Tea and coffee scalds in children: A British epidemic requiring a solution

摘要

Dear Editor, Scalds from hot liquids are a common modality of injury in children, potentially resulting in long term disfigurement, functional impairment and future psychological morbidity. In addition, management of even minor paediatric scalds inflicts considerable financial impact on healthcare economics [1]. Fortunately, a large proportion of paediatric scalds is preventable and most commonly occurs as the result of everyday activities such as food and beverage preparation. Great strides towards prevention have been made in increasing awareness of the dangers of household items such as kettles and boiling pans in the last few decades, however less emphasis has been put on the danger of scalds arising directly from a cup of prepared beverage such as tea or coffee. As the use of tea bags and instant coffee is now ubiquitous in the British household and elsewhere throughout the world, a cup of either beverage can be extremely hazardous. Both are prepared directly with boiling water and may be placed within the child's environment during consumption, easily knocked over and potentially causing high total body surface area burns (TBSA).