5 month old scalded by boiling water-please help

[A1983]

My DD was scolded by boiling hot water in a flask placed on her pram yesterday by a close family member-it wasn't secure and leaked through. I'm distraught and don't want to talk to this person. She is 5 months old and ive just got home from Bristol burns unit, seems her usual self but im just so devastated for her, poor baby. She was placed under a cold running tap for 20 minutes then taken to hospital. This morning she had a bio-brane dressing put on her leg under GA and the Consultants say she has complete partial thickness burn (4% mid-deep burn). It's a waiting game to see if it heals by itself in the next 10-14 days-the outer area they believe will do but they say it's 50:50 for the middle area which is quite deep and may need a skin graft. I'm hoping and praying the burn will heal completely....and obviously ideally for her no scarring or discoloration of skin. It's such a large burn on a little leg. She is to eat a protein rich diet to aid healing so her breast milk and ill blend some fish, cheese, beans etc for her.

I'm in shock atm and just want answers now..but unfortunately we all have to wait. She has an appointment on Saturday to see if the bio-brane is still sticking, and will have her dressings changed every 2 days.

Thank you

How awful! What kind of idiot puts a flask of boiling water anywhere a child?! I would not be speaking to that stupid woman ever again and no one would blame you if you didn't. Your poor little baby I'd be devastated. Did she give a reason as to why she done that? I'm actually angry on your behalf

And - yes - putting a flask of boiling water on a pram?? What a fucking idiot.

Oh your poor baby, that must have been a shock for you to see

To add to the reassaurance - MY DS pulled over a coffee (black, freshly brewed so still scorching hot) and scalded his face, arm, torso and leg. He was 19 months. By the time he was two you couldnt' tell it had happened

Flasks are seen as a humdrum part of a packed lunch or a trip to a park, and screwed tight.

And people are used to placing shopping, and bag, on a pram.

Horrible accident, and I am sure the person who made the mistake will be suffering guilt and regret like never before.

But I agree, for now, she is not your problem. Time may heal more than the burn. All hopes and best wishes for your adorable dd.

Another adding to the reassurance: my DD at age 6 months was scalded with a mug of tea, on her neck/shoulder. The scab was off within a week and now, 12 months on, there's no sign of the injury. It was a first degree burn so less serious than yours, but even so I'm always astonished that there's not even a mark on her, given how horrific it looked at the time. She also showed no signs of pain - the paediatrician said young babies don't process pain signals in the same way as adults?

I didn't have a graft, no. In hindsight I am decidedly that no one thought to take me to a specialist, but it did heal after all, so can't complain too much!

Words do not describe my anger and hatred, yes hatred for that woman. She proclaims her innocence by saying it should have been screwed on properly by the cafe assistant-how about you check yourself too before you put it ontop of my darling baby-or hold it yourself, or put it in the basket underneath, or get them to bring it over. Endless obvious ways a person with an ounce of intelligence would use. And she added the cafe believe the button wasn't pushed down which secures the lid due to the amount of water in the pram. That last bit made me physically sick-knowing she didn't feel a trickle but the entire contents-and then who knows how long it took her to actually remove my baby from the burning pram. I wasn't even aware of the incident until she had been treated in a&e-a nurse phoned to tell me. Iasked 'her' why the hell sshe didn't call me and she said the paramedics told her not too because id be too ditressed by my baby's screaming. I don't believe her-I would need to give consent etc-i think she hoped it would be a quick bandage cover up job. Well it wasn't. And I was sat at home waiting eagerly for her return to give her my love as always and I wasn't even there when she needed me or my milk. Breastfeeding always helps her no matter what-its a pain reliever alone.

Your feelings are totally understandable. It is heartbreaking to see your baby injured in any way, but these circumstances are particularly hard to take. I will be thinking of your and your dd. xx

Op that's just awful, to not even ring you! You must be feeling such a mix of emotions about the whole thing. I feel sick to the stomach for you. Thinking of you & your dd.

Xxx

When I look at the picture, I can't understand how it can be a flask leaking . What I see is that the flask emptied at once, otherwise your baby would have moved her leg, and the burns wouldn't be so concentrate. Are you sure the baby wasn't in the arms of the person in care? Because otherwise how can you explain, the burn on the top of the other foot? Had she been in the pram, the burns would have been on the side of her foot. I think she's lying. Mainly because the burns on the leg show your baby had the legs wide apart when it happened, which is typical when you hold a baby with one hand and a flask with the other

I would be more than happy to be proved wrong. Here is the direct link of the picture www.dropbox.com/s/ekg25xe1k0y328r/2014-01-15%2019.44.48.jpg

I'm so sorry your poor baby's been hurt, you must be beside yourself. I'm sure the medical treatment she's getting will give her the best chance of a full recovery.

Can't believe the person who had her didn't call you, FFS.

Gordon-there is cctv so I will be investigating it all through my solicitor. As for the location-DD was in a car seat which was attached to a pram base and she tends to bend her legs in a knees out feet in position-plus the cafe said they thought the entire contents of the flask poured out due to the amount of liquid in the pram-does that make sense?

Yes it does. If she was in a car seat, then yes, she would have the legs in the "frog position" and it is compatible with her burns.
But in that case, in a car seat, there is no cover, so how can you put a flask full of boiling liquid in the pram? You can only put it on her lap?
Maybe that person was trying to reverse and push the pram with one hand, and the flask slipped and fell open on the baby's legs. Which could explain the amount of liquid in the pram and why she didn't call you immediately.
But these are only speculations, and it is a good thing there is cctv.

All my best wishes to your precious DD and a big hug to you.

Wishing your little one well. I pulled boiling water all over my arm as a toddler and you would never know on most of my arm- no scarring at all-except a minor scar the "crease" of my armpit. I've been told that the scarring was where the dressings were inexpertly changed by a student nurse at the time, so be vigilant- I'm sure you will be!! I know my mum was worried I'd remember but I've no recollection whatsoever and she said it really didn't bother me after a day or two. Good luck

This happened to a friends baby. Exact same thing. Tiniest trickle of water from a thermos flask resulting in skin grafts and months of hospital visits. Poor wee thing :( baby seems chirpy enough. Poor mum worried sick.

My friend also could not believe such a small amount of water did so much damage but as the doctors said . Babies are small so it doesnt take much. I hope your dd makes a full recovery x

Just looked at the pictue. The poor mite :( friends baby, about the same age burns on his arm she said all his skin sloughed off as she run it under the water :( hence the skin grafts.

Oh op, I hope it heals ok.

I cannot believe anyone wouod put a flask of boiling water jn a carseat or pram wiht a baby!!, ffs and that she didn't call you to say she was haivng to take her to the hospital.

God I woudl be livid.

Oh op I just looked at thr oic, it looks so sore, but my what fabulous quidgy thighs she has! Proper baby chunky thighs, my boys were like that. Hope it all heals up so you cans quidge those thighs asap.

As she is so young hopefully she will haveno memory of is amd babies do heal remarkably well, mine had several more minor injuries but the scars faded, it sounds like she is gettign the best possible treatment and am sure they will give you plenty of advice for what to do to help any scarring fade xxxx

Just leaving hospital after we noticed leaking through bandage. Biobrane still completely stuck down and it looked a bit better already! The nurse said it's good it's still stuck down and looks like it's healing well. She said the fluid is normal leakage as skin heals but to come in anytime. I asked her if the Biobrane continues to stay on is it very likely a graft wont be needed and she said no. I feel a bit better and relieved, but still early days xx

That's an excellent news.

Ps Gordon she had a blanket over her plus a car seat foot muff cover.

lemming-thats worried me reading your posts. I'm praying she wont need skin grafts. Did her lo have biobrane? Maybe hers were deeper and biobrane didn't work?

Yes I love those thighs! I'll have to massage cream etc into them once she's healed-ill be doing it all day long x

I thought from your OP that your DD was in a carrycot type pram, with a solid top. How can someone balance a flask of water on top of a car seat? There's no flat surface.

How is your DD today?