Parents Issue Warning After Toddler Is Badly Injured Playing Barefoot
A family in Arizona is warning others after their toddler got second-degree burns on his feet from playing on hot asphalt. A doctor warned it only takes a little time for burns to happen — as short as a few seconds — especially in the summer months of June, July, and August.
The asphalt or concrete pavement can be up to 40 to 60 degrees hotter than the actual air temperature, meaning a 100-degree summer day can make the concrete up to 160 degrees, easily resulting in burns and blisters, according to Sunrise Asphalt.
The 18-month-old boy’s parents described the incident as “traumatizing” and hope to prevent it from happening to other kids and families by sharing their son Mason’s story. Experts noted once the temperature hits 95 degrees, cases begin spiking for pavement burns, per NPR.
More from CafeMom: Dad Warns Parents After Toddler's Feet 'Basically Melted' at a Splash Pad
'It was traumatizing,' the toddler's parents said.
Mason’s parents shared that back in May, Mason had snuck out of the back door of his home in Phoenix, and he wasn’t wearing any socks or shoes, per the New York Post. His parents didn’t realize what happened until he was screaming from the pain of the burns he got from the hot pavement.
His mother said it was an awful day for their son Mason and their family. “Yeah, it’s traumatizing. He was in so much pain, and there was nothing we could do. It was horrible. I felt sick the whole day,” she said, according to the Post.
‘It happens almost daily,’ the doctor said.
A physician at the Arizona Burn Center at Valleywise Health, Dr. Kevin Foster, said injuries like Mason's happen often. “It’s not that rare. It happens almost on a daily basis, especially in June, July, and August. Once the sun is out, the pavement gets to be 140, 150, and sometimes even 180 degrees,” Foster said, per the Post.
Fortunately, Mason was sent home to heal after he was treated at the burn center and is recovering quickly, according to his mother, the Post reported. “Those baby tender feet – man, they just burn so fast," she said. "I just don’t want this to happen to anybody else if we can avoid it.”
It’s important to wear protective footwear and practice safety in the summer heat, especially for small children.
Foster explained that preventing pavement burn injuries is all about awareness, per NPR. It's recommended people avoid going outside during the hottest hours of the day and not go outside alone, the news outlet reported.
Making sure that children, especially those younger than 5, wear shoes when they go outdoors also can help prevent these types of injuries. Foster has some advice for those who experience a burn injury like the one Mason got: Place your feet in room temperature water and call a burn center, the Post reported.
More from CafeMom: Toddler Gets Third-Degree Burns From His Family's Firepit — the Day After Parents Used It
People have a lot of opinions on this family's story.
Though all parents understand how quickly accidents can happen, readers of the Post article covering the accident had some harsh words for the toddler's parents, warning about how hot Arizona gets.
As one user commented, “If you live in an area with risks, you take precautions. Child should not have been able to get out of the house.”
“I’ve lived in Arizona and raised 4 kids here, not once was this an issue. My children always had proper footwear," another person wrote. "I bet these parents let their kids go in backyards with pools unattended.”
“Trash cans melt in the summer in Arizona,” someone else warned.
Thankfully Mason is OK and is starting to recover, and his parents are using what happened to warn other families to stay vigilant.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
| FAMILY & PARENTING