Parent Help: How to Help Your Toddler After a Bottle Warmer Burn at a Daycare Center

It is no secret that toddlers are curious. Developmentally, they are honing their learning, thinking, and problem-solving skills, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For example, toddlers are learning how to hold something in one hand while using their other hand to grab a different object. This is also the age that toddlers try to use buttons or switches. This curiosity aids their growth but also makes them susceptible to serious burn injuries from popular bottle warmers when daycare centers in Texas do not follow safety protocols established by the state.

Our Texas daycare injury attorneys at The Button Law Firm have seen firsthand how toddlers are especially vulnerable to daycare injuries, including bottle warmer burns. That is why we are helping parents and daycare workers alike understand how bottle warmers can seriously injure toddlers and how these incidents can be prevented. If your toddler has been burned by a bottle warmer at a daycare center anywhere in Texas, jump to the bottom of this article to see the five key steps we outline to help your family heal and hold the daycare center accountable for its negligence.

Toddler Bottle Warmer-Related Hazards and Injuries at Texas Daycare Centers

An extensive study analyzing data collected by the World Health Organization Global Burn Registry found 62% of toddlers suffer burn injuries. In fact, 80% of burn injuries that toddlers experience are scald burns. These injuries are caused by substances that are hot and wet, such as boiling water or steam. At a daycare center, scald burns are frequently caused by bottle warmers.

Bottle warmers are commonly found in Texas daycare centers with infant nurseries. These appliances help caregivers warm a baby’s bottle without boiling the formula, which can cause infant scald burns. However, they are a serious safety hazard for toddlers. Bottle warmer burns often occur at daycare centers in Texas because caregivers are not properly trained on how to prevent these incidents. When childcare facilities hire unqualified workers who do not properly supervise the toddlers they are charged with watching, toddlers can be seriously hurt. As we previously mentioned, toddlers are like little explorers. Therefore, the following scenarios are how they commonly get burned by bottle warmers: 

• An unsupervised toddler pulls a loose cord on the bottle warmer, causing boiling 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 toddler and is knocked over.

Burn injuries are the leading cause of death and disability among toddlers ages 1-4, according to a 2022 study published in the National Library of Medicine. A toddler’s injuries from a bottle warmer burn can vary based on the severity of the burn. Injuries can include:

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

In the event a toddler suffers a third- or fourth-degree burn from the bottle warmer at a daycare center, the damage to the child’s body can be fatal.

Additionally, toddlers can experience emotional injuries following a traumatic incident like a severe bottle warmer burn. Their young minds process these complex feelings by developing a number of issues including separation anxiety from their parents, an inability to regulate emotions resulting in crying or screaming a lot, a loss of appetite, and nightmares, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The good news: A vast majority of bottle warmer burn injuries can be prevented when daycare centers and caregivers know how to safely use and store these popular gadgets.

5 Key Steps: Helping Your Toddler After a Bottle Warmer Burn Injury at a Daycare Center in Texas

Take immediate action as soon as you learn your toddler was burned by a bottle warmer at a daycare center. Our Texas daycare injury lawyers compiled these top five steps to help you and your toddler heal and ensure the daycare center is following the state’s minimum standards:

1. Take your child to an urgent care clinic, pediatrician, or local burn center. Thankfully, Texas has several reputable facilities such as Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, Dell Children’s, Shriners Children’s Texas, University Children’s Health, and UT Southwestern Medical Center.
2. Request an incident report from the daycare center. The report should provide a written record of what happened at the facility, especially if your toddler’s bottle warmer burn 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 daycare center is following the state’s safety protocols.
4. Keep track of all correspondence from the daycare center and its workers, including the director. 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 toddler, keeping a file of these conversations can greatly benefit your family’s legal case to hold the daycare accountable for your toddler’s bottle warmer burn. You can also request a copy of any surveillance footage captured by cameras at the childcare facility.
5. Reach out to our experienced Texas daycare injury lawyers by calling 214-699-4409 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; lost wages from your job while serving as a caregiver to your toddler; and pain and suffering. We are ready to listen and advise your family on the best approach to hold the daycare center accountable and get justice for your toddler’s injuries. There is a two-year time limit for filing a claim in Texas, so reach out to our knowledgeable team as soon as possible.

Schedule a Free Consultation with Our Texas Daycare Bottler Warmer Burn Injury Lawyers

Our team of experienced and compassionate daycare bottle warmer burn injury attorneys at The Button Law Firm is dedicated to advocating for you and your family if your child experiences a burn injury from a bottle warmer while in the care of a Texas daycare facility. With offices in Dallas, Houston, and Midland, we are ready to listen, fight for your family, and help your family move forward. 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 214-699-4409 or fill out a contact form for a free consultation.