By: Ama Joycelyn Tseyiboe
Health Experts are warning parents and caregivers to pay closer attention to children in the kitchen during the Christmas season, as burn-related home accidents remain one of the most common causes of injury among children during the festivities.
The Yuletide period is often marked by intense cooking activities, with families preparing large meals for gatherings and visitors.
According to Dr.Boye the busy nature of the season means children are frequently left unsupervised, increasing their exposure to hot oil, boiling water, open fires, and cooking equipment.
Speaking on GTV’s breakfast show December 16, 2025. President of the pediatric society of Ghana , Dr. Hilda Mantebea Boye says many burn injuries occur when children play near cooking areas or accidentally knock over pots and pans containing hot food or oil.
In some cases, children have suffered severe burns after hot oil splashed from frying pots placed close to play areas, or when pot handles were left facing outward and tipped over by curious hands.
Dr. Boye recommend simple but effective preventive measures, including turning pot and pan handles inward, using back burners on stoves, and keeping children away from cooking zones.
When cooking outdoors, adults are advised to closely supervise children and ensure they do not play near open fires or hot oil.
Caregivers are also cautioned against carrying boiling water across rooms. Instead, hot water should be poured into containers already containing cold water to reduce the risk of serious burns if spills occur.
Hot beverages and meals should be allowed to cool to safe temperatures before being served to children, especially toddlers.
There have also been reports of severe burn cases involving infants tied to their mothers’ backs while cooking, where loose wrappers caused babies to fall into hot food or water. Health experts stress that infants should never be carried on the back during cooking.
Dr. Boye warn that burn injuries can be fatal, depending on their severity, and urge families not to take such risks lightly. She advise that any burn injury should be cooled with running water and assessed at a hospital, particularly when the extent of the injury is unclear.
As families celebrate the season, health professionals are calling for increased vigilance, reminding parents that preventing burns at home requires constant supervision, safe cooking practices, and prioritising children’s safety over festive excitement.
