Helping Spring Parents After Their Child Is Burned by a Bottle Warmer at a Daycare Center

Incidents of neglect at daycare centers in Spring, Texas, happen when children are left with caregivers who are unqualified and do not properly supervise little ones under their watch.  When this happens, young children can be seriously hurt or even killed. An April 2022 report issued by the Texas Department of State Health Services found that 618 children died because of neglect over a three-year period.

At daycare centers in Spring, children are susceptible to experiencing severe burn injuries from bottle warmers when caregivers are negligent. And, sadly, burn injuries are the leading cause of death and disability among children ages 1-4, according to a 2022 study published in the National Library of Medicine. That is why our experienced daycare burn injury lawyers are educating parents in Spring about burns caused by bottle warmers, including how they happen and what to do if your child experiences a burn injury while at a local daycare center. 

How Bottle Warmer Burn Injuries Happen at Daycare Centers in Spring, Texas

Spring daycare centers with infant nurseries use bottle warmers to quickly warm bottles of breast milk or formula. These warmers are popular at busy daycares because they heat up liquids without spots or boiling milk—a great help to caregivers trying to multitask with a room full of fussy little ones. Through our lawyers’ experience working with families in Spring, we have found that bottle warmers are a common cause of daycare burn injuries.

Too commonly, in-demand daycare workers have their attention divided at feeding time, or they are not knowledgeable in safety and prevention tactics around bottle warmers. Their recklessness can leave curious toddlers and even infants laying on a changing table to be burned by these dangerous gadgets when:

• An unsupervised child pulls a loose cord on the bottle warmer, causing hot water or milk to spill on them,
• An improperly stored bottle warmer tips over because it is not safely secured,
• A bottle warmer is left on a surface within reach of a child, and it is accidentally knocked over, or little hands get inside it.

Common Injuries Children in Spring Suffer from Bottle Warmers

Bottle warmers cause two types of burn injuries to young children at daycare centers in Spring:

• Scald Burns: When boiling water from a bottle warmer spills on a child, the severe burns are called scald burns
• Thermal Burns: These burns happen when a child’s skin meets the hot surface of a bottle warmer

A child’s injuries from a bottle warmer burn at a daycare center can range in severity, including:

• First-, second-, or third-degree burns
• Loss of limbs
• Muscle or tissue damage
• Painful blisters and peeling skin

In extreme cases, the damage to a child’s body caused by a bottle warmer burn injury can be fatal.

Aside from the physical aspects of a bottle warmer burn injury at a daycare center, children in Spring can experience psychological trauma that impacts his or her emotional well-being. These serious burns can cause a child to develop separation anxiety from his or her parents, have problems regulating emotions, experience loss of appetite, and start having nightmares, as reported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The good news for Spring parents: Bottle warmer burns are preventable when daycare centers ensure caregivers are qualified and complete required annual training that addresses how to safely use and store these devices. In addition, local childcare facilities should also ensure that classrooms with infants or young toddlers follow the state-mandated child-to-caregiver ratios that enable workers to properly supervise the little ones in their care.

What Should You Do If Your Child Is Burned by a Bottle Warmer at a Daycare Center in Spring?

Depending on when you discover your child was burned by a bottle warmer at a daycare center in Spring, you’ll want to take certain immediate action. Our daycare injury lawyers created this list of five key steps to help you and your child:

1. Take your child to an urgent care clinic, pediatrician, or a local pediatric burn center at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, Texas Children’s Hospital, or even Shriners Children’s Texas in Galveston.
2. Get an incident report from the Spring daycare center. The report should provide a written record of what happened at the center , especially if your child’s burn caused by the bottle warmer is severe.
3. Report the incident to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) by calling the Texas Abuse Hotline at 800-252-5400 or file a report online at TXAbuseHotline.org. Per Texas laws, the daycare center is required to report any incidents resulting in a child injury. Your report ensures the childcare facility in Spring is following the state’s safety protocols.
4. Keep track of all correspondence from the Spring childcare facility and its workers. For example, screenshot text messages and emails discussing the bottle warmer incident, take pictures or make copies of any letters from the daycare center or its workers, and make detailed notes of any phone calls with the center as they occur.While it may be overwhelming to remember these steps when you are more concerned about your child, keeping a file of correspondence can benefit your family’s legal case to hold the daycare accountable for your child’s bottle warmer burn. You can also request a copy of any surveillance footage captured by cameras at the childcare facility in Spring.
5. Reach out to our experienced Spring daycare injury lawyers by calling 281-857-6116 or filling out a contact form. Burn injuries caused by bottle warmers can be very painful and result in significant physical and emotional trauma for your child. In fact, your family may be eligible for compensation to cover your child’s medical expenses, therapy and other helpful resources; and pain and suffering. We are ready to listen and advise your family on the best approach to hold the daycare center in Spring accountable and get justice for your child’s injuries. However, there is a two-year time limit for filing a personal injury claim in Texas, so reach out to our team as soon as possible.

How The Button Law Firm Helps Spring Families After Bottle Warmer Burn Incidents

Our team of experienced and compassionate daycare injury attorneys at The Button Law Firm is dedicated to advocating for you and your family if your child was seriously burned by a bottle warmer while in the care of a childcare facility in Spring. With attorneys in Houston, we are ready to listen and fight for your family. Our attorneys at The Button Law Firm are recognized on the prestigious Texas Super Lawyers list, and we can help guide you after a traumatizing incident involving your child. We work on contingency, meaning we don’t charge you or collect any upfront fees to get started on your case. Call us at 281-857-6116 or fill out a contact form for a free consultation.