Burn Safety

Dear Lisa

I have three children and we are moving into a new home. My friend told me to check the water temperature in the house to make sure it is not too hot so my children won’t accidentally get burned. What temperature should the water be?

“Don’t want my children to get burned in N.J.”

Dear “Don’t want my children to get burned”,

It is estimated that a child exposed to water at the temperature of 130 degrees Fahrenheit will sustain a full-thickness burn with 10 seconds of exposure. At 140 degrees Fahrenheit, a full-thickness burn results from only 1 second of contact. (1). Therefore it is important to set the hot water heater in your new home to a temperature between 120 and 130 degrees F (49 and 54.4 degrees C). This way if your child is accidentally exposed to a splash of hot water it is less likely he will sustain a serious burn if he is removed from the water quickly. It is always a good idea to check the bath water temperature to make sure it is not too hot by using your elbow before putting your child into the bath. Sometimes calluses or the thickness of the skin on adult hands may prevent you from accurately determining the temperature. Good luck in your new home!

(1)Thompson, S. Accidental or Inflicted? Evaluating cutaneous, skeletal and abdominal trauma in children. Pediatric Annals. 2005;34(5):375-376.


Lisa Kelly R.N., P.N.P., C.
Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner

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