The use of microwave ovens can lead to serious burns in children, who easily open the doors and seize hot containers.
- Containers taken from microwaves by children can cause serious burns
- New standards should provide additional security for opening the doors of these ovens
- Always test the temperature of baby food reheated in the microwave
Research by American pediatricians on childhood burns has led to new industry standards in microwave oven design. “Our efforts over the past 15 years have recently led to a change in the way microwaves are made. In 2023, manufacturers will need to integrate two separate actions to open the door to a microwave -wave”, says Kyran Quinlan, professor of pediatrics.
22.5% of patients in burn units are children
In fact, microwaves can lead to serious burns in children, who easily open the doors and grab the hot containers. According to the American Burn Association, 22.5% of burn unit patients in the United States are children. In 2008, researchers revealed that a significant percentage of these burns involved microwaves, and that almost half of the cases required skin grafting.
Heating milk in the microwave destroys the compounds beneficial to the body
“These burns are terribly painful, require hospital treatment and can leave scars for life,” details Mr. Quinlan. “We thought that if young children were less able to open the doors of microwave ovens, they would be less likely to be able to remove heated items, such as noodle soups, and therefore would be less exposed to the risk of serious burns”, he adds.
It should also be noted that for babies, heating milk in the microwave destroys the compounds that are beneficial to the body. Cooking small jars in the microwave can also cause serious burns to the lips and mouth of young children, hence the need to systematically test the food on their wrist before giving it.