Glasgow hospital treats 11 children with hot water bottle burns

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is issuing a warning to parents to be careful using hot water bottles, after 11 child patients were treated for burns.

The children were treated by the Burns Clinic at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow this winter - more than double the number treated in winter last year.

As the cold season continues, NHS bosses are advising parents to take extra care with how water bottles are filled and used.

They believe the increase could be down to the cost of living crisis, and parents seeking alternatives to turning on the heating.

'It can be easy to rush and that's when mistakes happen'

Sharon Ramsay, paediatric burns nurse specialist at the Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow said: “We believe the number of patients coming to us with burns from hot water bottles may be higher due the current cost of living and more people using them as an affordable way to stay warm at home.

“When filling these, especially as part of the bedtime routine, it can be easy to rush and that’s when mistakes happen.

"We’re asking families that are using hot water bottles for their children, and themselves, to take the time to consider the following steps to avoid any nasty incidents and unwanted trips to hospital."

Advice for parents

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have issued the following advice:

• Don't ever fill it with freshly boiled water from the kettle because this degrades the rubber and it's more likely to split when you're using it. Let the water cool to warm first.
• Always use a hot water bottle cover.
• Only fill the bottle about two thirds and then gently squeeze out the air. Some of the injuries we see are a result of the child squeezing and some water coming out over their hands.
• Never ask your child to fill the bottle while you hold it. The kettle can be quite heavy, and the child may spill or drop it.
• Ensure the stop is on correctly.
• Don't allow you child to sit on the hot water bottle, press it with their feet, or take it into their bed. Squeezing it is a child favourite and doing so too hard could cause it to burst.
• Only use for two years after the bottle’s manufacture date. You'll find this date on inside of the bottle funnel. You'll see the month of manufacture and year of manufacture. You should only use it for two years following that date.

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