Israel | A 5-year-old was burned to death by boiling and was hospitalized due to a severe infection

About two weeks ago, 5-year-old Yanai spent time at his grandmother Ilana’s house (the names are fictitious) in the Sharon area. “It was on Friday at noon. My daughters came with their grandchildren and it was so fun and nice,” she says. “My younger daughter went to the kitchen to make tea for everyone, and I played with the children in the living room.”According to her, while her daughter Maayan placed the tea pot on the guest table in the living room, and poured tea into one of the glasses, the ball the children were playing with rolled toward the people sitting around the table. “My grandson ran to get it, and hit the handle of the tea cup, and then it just rolled and spilled on his right leg in the calf area,” Ilana recalls the dramatic moments.

 

“I’ll never forget his screams, his pants were soaked in boiling tea and I realized they were sticking to his skin. I tried to take them off, I thought about using scissors but in the end I just ripped the pants off his leg and his skin fell off like paper, it was horrible. I took buckets of I poured lukewarm water on the area,” she adds. “There was chaos, my daughter froze on the spot, the other grandchildren were also shocked and cried.” The family quickly called the MDA hotline, but finally on the advice of the boy’s father, who feared it would take time for the rescue forces to arrive, it was decided to evacuate him to the hospital independently.

When they arrived at the hospital, it turned out that it was a 3rd degree burn – the most serious degree. “My daughter and her husband were in the hospital with Yanai for several hours, he was treated with solutions, and finally he was released to his home with a bandage and painkillers,” says Ilana.

“When I measured the temperature, my heart dropped”

To Moharet, Yanai’s condition has improved and Ilana says that he looked fine. However, two days later, when she came to look after him, she felt that something was not right. “He was in a good mood and he was watching TV, but towards noon his temperature started to rise. My hand burned because he was boiling. When I measured the temperature, my heart dropped. It was almost 41 degrees.” Ma’ayan, the boy’s mother, adds that “he looked as if he had returned from a summer vacation. His skin in the area of ​​his stomach, chest and palms was red, as if he had been burned by the sun”.

Ilana immediately called her daughter, and after no doctor’s appointment was available, it was decided to call an ambulance. “His condition was unstable, everything deteriorated quickly,” she recalls. The MDA teams that arrived at the scene evacuated Yanai to the Meir Medical Center, where it became clear that he was suffering from a serious infection. As a result, the medical team at the pediatric intensive care unit decided to admit him, giving him intravenous antibiotics. Later that night, the boy’s condition deteriorated and he was transferred to the intensive care unit. “His kidneys did not function properly and his blood pressure dropped, I was very upset,” says his mother Maayan adding that “Yanai’s measurements Parachute, he was in danger. Throughout the time, they brought in cardiologists to check the heart’s function, and to see that the cessation of blood flow to these organs did not cause irreversible damage.” Only after being hospitalized and treated for about a week, Yanai was released from the hospital with his condition defined as good. “I think ten years were lost from my life, I didn’t sleep all nights God, and I prayed that he would be okay,” says Ilana.

Last week, Yanai returned to kindergarten, and Ilana says that his condition is better. According to her, he is still being closely monitored by a plastic surgeon. Now she wants to convey a message to the parents as well as the grandmothers and grandfathers, who spend long hours with the children: “I was sure that something like this could only happen to people who don’t pay enough attention to the children. I always act carefully, but who would have thought that something like this would happen from a glass we put on the living room table? It turns out that this can happen to anyone, in any home, in a moment of distraction, and not everyone is aware of the dangers.” It is important for the entire family to thank Dr. Amir Mendelson, a senior physician in the pediatric emergency department at the medical center, and Dr. Efrat Ben Nun, a specialist in pediatrics, and the entire pediatric intensive care department at the hospital.”

“In severe cases there may be an infection that may lead to a severe reaction in the body and even to system collapse”

Dr. Baydar Belal, deputy director of the plastic surgery department at the Meir Medical Center of the Klalit Group, says that he often comes across cases of burns among children, especially those caused by hot cups, such as tea or soup. who are burned by their desire to sit,” he notes.

The doctor explains that burns are divided into three main degrees of severity. “Usually the cases we see in the emergency department are second degree burns, where blisters develop on the skin, but usually in the end the burn heals without leaving a mark. In the third degree, the most severe, the burn involves all layers of the skin, including deeper tissues. In cases where it is an extensive burn, there may even be a need for skin graft surgery.”

Dr. Belal points out that the treatment of burns focuses on supporting the body through ointments, solutions and pain relievers, and preventing infections as much as possible, since the skin is the barrier that prevents contaminants from entering the blood.

“In severe cases, in children who suffer from severe burns, an infection may develop, known in medical terms as ‘toxic shock syndrome,'” he notes. “This is a medical condition caused by the effect of toxins that certain bacteria secrete into the blood. As a result, a very severe reaction may occur in the body, which can also lead to system collapse and even death. We will usually treat with antibiotics and work to stabilize the child’s condition. In cases where necessary, we will be hospitalized for observation “.

However, the doctor reassures and claims that this is a rare and unusual event, but points out that it is important to be vigilant. “Quick and accurate treatment is necessary in such situations, therefore if a child who has been burned develops a high temperature that does not decrease, over 38.5 degrees, if there is a decrease in consciousness, Decrease in appetite, or if the child suffers from loss of control over sphincters, seek medical attention immediately.”

The doctor concludes and explains that in any case of a burn, the area should first be washed with lukewarm running water, and then covered with a sterile bandage or a clean towel. “In the case of an extensive burn, you should go to the hospital.”

Since the beginning of the year – 312 cases of burns among children

According to data from the organization before children’s safety, in the last five years, 4009 children came to the emergency room due to burns. From the beginning of 2024, 312 cases of burns among children were reported, of which 206 were caused by hot liquid.

Orly Silvinger, CEO of the Betram organization, says that a burn is a serious injury among children. “In babies, for example, the skin is thin and delicate, so there is a risk of severe burns even when using low temperatures.” According to her, treating burns can be long and accompanied by complex rehabilitation, and they can leave scars for life. “I call on parents to adopt safety procedures around the house, with an emphasis on the kitchen and the bathroom where the likelihood of a burn accident increases. The following case can be prevented – keep pots with hot food out of the reach of children. Do not place them on the floor, or on the edge of the counter, the table or on the tablecloth . Electric kettle and heat away from the edge of the counter.”