Report of the New England Regional Infant Cardiac Program.

OF ORIGINAL ARTICLE. Tap water scald burns account for 7% to 17% of all childhood scald burns that require hospitalization. Often the burns are severe and disabling. Toddlers and preschool children are the most frequent victims. In 45% of the injuries, the unsupervised victim or peer turned on the tap water; in 28% the cause was abuse. Eighty percent of the homes tested had unsafe bathtub water temperatures of 54°C (130°F) or higher, exposing the occupants to the risk of full-thickness scald with <30-second exposure to hot water. Such burns may be prevented passively by limiting household water temperatures to <52°C (125°F). New water heaters could be preset at this temperature, and families could be taught to turn down the temperature on existing units.