According to the 2023 population estimates of the US Census, nearly a third of The Woodlands’ population is under 18 years old, so there is a great need for childcare help for young families. Parents seeking recommendations for safe local daycare centers may rely on local resources like WoodlandsMommy.com, but even the highest-rated centers can’t guarantee children won’t get hurt while in their care.
In the majority of cases involving child injuries at daycare centers, negligence, such as hiring untrained and unqualified caregivers, is the root cause. These injuries are often severe, like bottle warmer burns.
Bottle warmers are devices used by daycare centers with infant nurseries in The Woodlands. They’re useful because they can quickly warm breast milk or formula bottles. However, boiling water inside the warmer and a hot exterior can seriously harm children if the devices are not used or stored properly at a daycare center. Tragically, burn injuries are the fifth most common cause of accidental death in children, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. But there is good news: Bottle warmer burns are easily preventable when caregivers at daycare centers in The Woodlands comply with the state’s minimum standards.
Our experienced daycare burn injury lawyers are educating parents in The Woodlands about bottle warmers burns, 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 The Woodlands
Based on our daycare injury lawyers’ extensive experience advocating for families in The Woodlands, bottle warmers are a common cause of daycare burn injuries.
Sometimes, the demanding nature of working at a daycare center in The Woodlands can cause caregivers to be distracted during feeding time. Or, newer caregivers may not know about safety and prevention tactics around bottle warmers. Community Impact reported daycare centers in The Woodlands struggle to keep qualified workers, so there is a strong possibility you might be putting your child in the care of an inexperienced caregiver.
These are examples of daycare center oversights that can result in hazardous situations for curious toddlers and even infants, who are left vulnerable to bottle warmer burns while unattended on a changing table. Other scenarios include:
- 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, accidentally knocked over, or the child's hands get inside it.
Common Injuries Children in The Woodlands Suffer from Bottle Warmers
Bottle warmers have been found to cause two types of burn injuries among young children at daycare centers in The Woodlands:
- Scald Burns: These are severe burns that result from boiling liquid in a bottle warmer spilling on a child. Toddlers are most likely to experience these injuries, of which 65% of children ages four and younger are hospitalized, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
- 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 by the following:
- First-, second-, or third-degree burns
- An amputation or the loss of limbs
- Muscle or tissue damage
- Painful blisters and peeling skin
In instances where an infant was seriously burned, or a toddler experiences second or third-degree burns on a large part of their body, the bottle warmer burn injury can be fatal.
In addition to the physical toll, children in The Woodlands who suffer from bottle warmer burn injuries at local daycare centers may experience significant psychological trauma, affecting their emotional health. In these severe burn cases, the trauma can manifest as separation anxiety from parents, trouble expressing or regulating emotions, appetite loss, and nightmares, as outlined in findings by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
A positive note for parents in The Woodlands: Nearly 75% of all scald burns caused by bottle warmers are preventable. Daycare centers must ensure caregivers are qualified and complete the required annual training that addresses how to use and store these devices safely. In addition, daycare centers in The Woodlands should follow the state-mandated child-to-caregiver ratios in classrooms with infants or young toddlers so that caregivers can properly supervise the little ones in their care and prevent these serious injuries.
What Should You Do If Your Child Is Burned by a Bottle Warmer at a Daycare Center in The Woodlands?
Discovering your child was burned by a bottle warmer at a daycare center in The Woodlands requires prompt action. To guide you through this challenging time, our daycare injury lawyers have compiled a list of five essential steps for you and your child to take:
- Take your child to an urgent care clinic, pediatrician’s office, or the local pediatric burn center at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital. If your child’s burns from the bottle warmer cover more than 30% of their body, they can be transported to Shriners Children’s Texas in Galveston.
- Get an incident report from the daycare center in The Woodlands. 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.
- 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’s injury, such as a bottle warmer burn. Your report ensures the childcare facility in The Woodlands is investigated to determine compliance with the state’s daycare safety protocols.
- Keep track of all correspondence from the childcare facility and its workers. Take screenshots of text messages and save emails about the bottle warmer incident; snap pictures or make copies of any letters from the daycare center or its workers; and keep detailed notes of any phone calls with the center as they happen.
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 and hold the daycare center 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 The Woodlands.
- Reach out to our experienced daycare injury lawyers in The Woodlands by calling 281-857-6116, emailing [email protected], 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. Your family may be eligible for compensation to cover your child’s medical expenses, therapy, and pain and suffering. We are ready to listen and advise your family on the best approach to hold the daycare center in The Woodlands 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.
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