What Should I Do If My Child Suffers a Chemical Burn at a Daycare in Texas?

If you suspect your child has suffered a chemical burn while at a daycare center in Texas, seek medical attention immediately, even if their injury looks minor. Chemical burns are progressive injuries, meaning the wound can deepen even after the initial contact.

Once your child starts receiving medical care, ask the daycare center for details about what happened to your child and preserve as much evidence as possible.

Below, our Texas daycare injury lawyers at The Button Law Firm answer the most pressing questions parents often have about chemical burn injuries in childcare settings.

How Do Chemical Burns Happen at Daycare Centers in Texas?

Based on our experience advocating for Texas families impacted by daycare injuries, we find chemical burns typically involve cleaning solutions in daycare settings and are almost always preventable. They tend to occur when a center violates Texas childcare laws, also known as the minimum standards.

We have seen these injuries happen firsthand when these specific rules are ignored:

• Improper storage of cleaning supplies. All cleaning supplies and toxic materials are required to be kept in locked cabinets or on high shelves where they are inaccessible to children.
• Unclear spray bottle labels. All chemicals are required to be clearly labeled. Clear liquids like bleach or strong sanitizers can easily be mistaken for water or diluted cleaners when they are repackaged in a spray bottle that is not clearly labeled.
• Unsafe sanitation practices. Daycare centers often use industrial-strength disinfectants to clean common surfaces including changing tables and nap mats. When these chemicals are not properly diluted or the surfaces aren’t properly rinsed before a child touches it, it can cause severe burns on contact. (We helped a 1-year-old girl and her family get justice after she suffered chemical burns when a Denton daycare center improperly used commercial-grade cleaners on nap mats.)

Read this article to learn more about the causes of chemical burns at daycare centers.

Why Are Chemical Burns Harmful to Children?

A child’s skin is significantly thinner and more sensitive than an adult’s. That is why a concentration of chemicals from a strong cleaner that might only cause mild irritation to a daycare caregiver’s hands can cause a severe, third-degree burn on a toddler.

Beyond the immediate pain, these injuries can pose long-term risks for little ones:

• Infections. Burned skin loses its protective barrier, making children in daycare settings highly susceptible to serious bacterial infections.
• Inhalation injuries. Strong chemical fumes in poorly ventilated areas at a daycare center can burn delicate lung tissue.
• Scarring. Scar tissue from a burn does not stretch like normal skin. This can cause a growing child to develop contractures, causing the skin to tighten and restrict movement, and requiring surgery to fix.

What Steps Should I Take If My Child Suffered a Chemical Burn at a Daycare Center?

If your child suffers a chemical burn at a local daycare center, follow these four steps:

1. Get Medical Help Immediately

Burn injuries, especially chemical burns, can continue to permeate the layers of a child’s skin the first 48-72 hours, according to burn specialists at Shriners Children’s, and cause permanent tissue damage and scarring. They should be immediately treated at a local emergency room or urgent care facility. Doctors will confirm your child’s injury is a chemical burn and provide a treatment plan to help your child. 

2. Report the Incident to the State

Texas daycare centers are required to submit incident reports to the state detailing what happened to an injured child. This includes identifying which caregivers were responsible for your child and who was in the classroom or on-site at the time of their burn injury, as well as explaining how the burn happened and how the daycare responded regarding providing first aid or contacting emergency medical services. The centers are also required to provide you with a copy of the report. However, this does not always happen. That’s why we recommend parents file a separate report to the state by calling 800-252-5400 or filling out an online form, to ensure the incident is recorded and investigated.

3. Preserve as Much Evidence as Possible

Evidence can help strengthen your family’s legal case against a daycare center. This includes:

• Getting a copy of your child’s medical records from the initial evaluation at a local emergency room or urgent care facility.
• Recording a conversation with your child discussing the incident to learn more about what happened, if they are old enough to talk. (You can use these tips to have an age-appropriate discussion about a daycare injury.)
• Saving all communications, such as text messages, emails, or messages in the daycare’s app, discussing the incident or your child’s injuries.
• Taking pictures of your child’s physical burns, any singed hair, or bleached clothes. You will also want to take pictures documenting their healing journey.
• Writing down any notes from phone conversations with the daycare director, caregivers, or other daycare staff discussing your child’s incident.

We also encourage parents to seek out other parents in the classroom to determine whether your child’s chemical burn was an isolated incident or a pattern of negligent behavior at the daycare center.

4. Contact Our Daycare Injury Lawyers

Your family does not have to experience the aftermath of a severe daycare injury like a chemical burn alone. Get an experienced and compassionate daycare injury lawyer like our team at The Button Law Firm in your corner.

We will guide you through the legal process and even handle the insurance companies so you can focus on your child and their healing journey. Call us at 214-699-4409, email us at intake@buttonlawfirm.com, or fill out a contact form for a free case evaluation.

Does It Cost Money to Take Legal Action Against a Daycare Center?

No. At The Button Law Firm, we operate on a contingency fee basis. This means we only get paid if we win your family’s case.

What Is the Process for Taking Legal Action for My Child’s Daycare Chemical Burn Injury?

Our team has created several free resources to give you a sense of what to expect when you decide to hold a daycare center accountable for your child’s chemical burn. These resources include:

• Should I Wait Until the State Investigation Is Over to Pursue a Legal Claim Against a Daycare?
• What Are the Steps to Take When Suing a Daycare After an Injury to My Child?  
• How Long Will It Take to Settle a Daycare Injury Case Once We Sign With BLF?

Let The Button Law Firm Help Your Family After a Daycare Chemical Burn Injury 

If your child suffered a chemical burn because a Texas daycare center breached its duty to keep your child safe and failed to follow the minimum standards, we are here to help. We have successfully held daycare centers across Texas accountable and helped families move forward. Call us at 214-699-4409, email us at intake@buttonlawfirm.com, or fill out our online form for a free case evaluation.