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Original poster

Friends ds badly burned in bath!!

46 replies

Fangache · 07/10/2005 10:14

My friend phoned last night to say her ds (3) was in Yorkhill after jumping into a scalding hot bath!

Her boiler is on the blink and they never know if there is enough hot water for a bath so she was running the hot water first before adding the cold (I KNOW I KNOW, but I think most people have done that a few times... I certainly have).

She went to get a towel for him in the bedroom cupboard.... her DH thought she was still in the bathroom and sent ds upstairs....... and he jumped straight into the bath!!!

8% burns to his feet and legs. He has to have morphine to get his dressings changed and his toes have to be kept separate prevent them knitting together.

Its a big eye-opener! There are certain things that I find myself getting too relaxed about when it comes to parenting.... shame it takes something like this to happen to make to re-assess.

Friend says he's fine though, in high spirits and giving the nurses cheek! He'll have to stay in for 2 weeks though.

Wish him all the best!

OP posts:
LadyMarinaofSarfLondon · 07/10/2005 10:15

Goodness, Fangache, as you say, so many of us have run the hot in first on more than one occasion.
Wishing him a speedy and complete recovery.

expatinscotland · 07/10/2005 10:16

Oh no! Poor bairn!

Kelly1978 · 07/10/2005 10:16

Poor boy. Glad he is ok though.

I always run the hot first, I've never thought about it before.

Original poster
Fangache · 07/10/2005 10:17

Thankfully it wasn't deep so his body escaped any burns...... but he's got a couple of blisters around his wee bottom!! OUCH!!

OP posts:
KingPuff · 07/10/2005 10:17

Poor little mite . How is your friend and her dh - are they ok?

edam · 07/10/2005 10:17

Oh Fangache, that's terrible.

Nbg · 07/10/2005 10:17

Poor boy.

It is an eye opener, I too get quite relaxed about certain things.

How are the parents? I bet they feel awful.

Original poster
Fangache · 07/10/2005 10:19

They are blaming each other, understandably. But her ds is like the wind, he's SO fast! Even if she had heard him running up the stairs she probably couldn't have got to him in time....... she had a C-Section 3 weeks ago with her dd!!!

Her DH was down feeding the baby. You just cannot watch them 24hrs a day.

OP posts:
whimsywhoo · 07/10/2005 10:20

I do hope he's ok

It is an eye opener, I get quite relaxed about certain things too.

horridmum · 07/10/2005 10:24

Poor pet, but I know what you mean about them being so quick.

Hugs to your friend.

TinyGang · 07/10/2005 10:27

Poor liitle chap. Hope he gets over this soon.

Original poster
Fangache · 07/10/2005 10:29

I was going to take ds in to visit him next week, but they won't let in visitors coz of the risk of infection. SO I suggested to ds that he might draw him a picture so he could put it on the wall in his hospital room to cheer him up. Ds said "Oh I've got a better idea Mummy, why don't we take a photo of me smiling and he can put that on his wall!" lol

OP posts:
KingPuff · 07/10/2005 10:29

How awful for them - it can happen so easily when you are at full stretch as it sounds like they are at the mo.

horridmum · 07/10/2005 10:30

The innocence, isn't it great.

Blu · 07/10/2005 10:44

Poor, poor things. THAT much damage from hot bath water. 2 weeks in hospital. I am very very sorry for them all.
I do hope you can support them not to blame each other - maybe we should start a 'there but for the grace of God go all of us' support thread to show that we can see this as a genuine unfortunate accident that could happen to any of us.
Tell them from me that I wouldn't blame either of them.

Original poster
Fangache · 07/10/2005 10:48

I know BLu. 2 weeks! But its because he needs the dressings changed so often..... and he needs morphine for the pain as they remove the dead skin each time.

OP posts:
spookylips · 07/10/2005 10:49

aww - poor litle mite ..!

gigglinggoblin · 07/10/2005 11:05

poor thing i remember something similar happening when i was at school to my friends cousin. mum had said to toddler she was going to give the baby a bath so toddler thought she would help. ran a scalding bath and put baby in baby did recover fine tho so im sure your friends ds will. lovely idea to give him a smiley photo, what a sweetie!

hub2dee · 07/10/2005 11:43

Ouch.

Sorry to hear about your friend's ds, Fangache. I hope the little chap recovers swiftly, and am glad he's in good spirits.

May I hijack with a related question for everyone ?

I've developed a device that delivers bath water at a preset temperature to precisely prevent this sort of thing. I've got to be a bit vague as I may attempt to patent aspects of it, sorry... You basically dial the temperature you want and it runs to that temp. A bit like a thermostatic shower IYSWIM.

We use it for dd (13 weeks) - to run her a bath at exactly 37 degrees (max recommended temp for babies) and the bathwater is perfect. (Spot on to within less than 1 % !!!).

The device could have application in hospitals / assisted living for the elderly, and because it can deliver water at any temperature (within preset limits), can be used for adult baths (say 40 - 42 degrees) or kids etc. etc. It would prevent the above sorts of accident which are sadly quite common. Each person in the house can set their own preferred temperature.

Does anyone think they would buy such a thing or that it might sell well ? (I appreciate you don't have anything like full information about what excatly it is or how it works).

It would replace the tap and cost from perhaps £500.

I'd be interested in any feedback / comments. At this price point it would probably be for the higher end segment of the market rather than mass-market DIY shops etc.

secur · 07/10/2005 11:50

Message withdrawn

hhhhenleyonthames · 07/10/2005 11:55

Hub2dee - we have something like that on our bath; it was there when we bought the house.

Never measured its accuracy with a thermometre but it works well.

Original poster
Fangache · 07/10/2005 11:55

Hub2Dee - The concept is marvellous..... however there is scope for this still happening..... parents may rely on the accuracy of the device so much so that they don't check the water at all.... and what if the device became faulty? What kind of failsafe would there be?
And the packaging would definitely have to emphasise that this would NOT replace the need to test the water with skin contact by an adult. Just a few thoughts.... great idea though... but expensive!

Gigglinggoblin - Aw the poor wee lamb thought she was helping.

OP posts:
hub2dee · 07/10/2005 12:18

As with any (similar) device there is a risk of failure, I agree. But we trust many different devices all the time - a toaster not to catch fire, a microwave door not to leak, a kettle not to boil dry, a car's brakes to work etc.

wrt hot water and baths, you can actually get a plastic waste plug for just a few pounds iirc which automatically opens if the water is deemed too hot. Of course this wouldn't work if people feel the need to run the (very) hot water first.

With my system if the incoming water is too hot it could shut down, or if the demanded temperature is too hot it could refuse to open, or if there is a sudden variance in incoming temp it could cut out...

I agree of course that water needs to be tested before you get in, but a thermostatic-like system, properly controlled increases the safety imho.

Agree product is expensive... but I haven't told you about all the things it can do / be linked to etc. etc. (fab luxury stuff to make you smile big time, sadly can't elaborate here ).

hhhhhhhhenley: can I ask if you could post the name / make of the unit you are referring to when you next look at it ? I'd be interested to learn more about it.

LIZS · 07/10/2005 12:31

poor kid - hope he makes a good recovery.

Hub2Dee, could you do something to fit onto the end of the mixer tap so that you can at least monitor the temp of the water coming through. £500 for your device sounds a lot but probably some would pay it - in Retirement flats, for example. I was reading about one complex in bucks today which has luxury houses for over 50's under warden supervison and they have subtly incorporated all sorts of features - wide doorways, higher power sockets, lower switches - in anticipation of those who may need it later on.

hub2dee · 07/10/2005 12:40

Possibly LIZS but to be able to stem the water flow if temp is > limit would require a fairly powerful electric valve and at least a battery so to add it to a tap might be tricky (too long), also, many people like to run hotter-than-normal water first, and this device would trigger cut-offs when they perhaps weren't wanted IYSWIM.

From my research into this, it is best to sample the incoming temp from the boiler, compare this to the target temp, and then 'react' / manage the water flow accordingly. That way, if the cylinder empties / cools too much, the system can pause, wait for more hot water to become available and then continue the fill, or else alert you to the situation so you can decide if the bath is deep enough.

Combi boilers obviously don't have this sort of issue...

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