AUGUSTA, Ga (WJBF)– Anyone can be burned in the kitchen, but with kids at home due to COVID school closures and the holidays right around the corner, it’s especially common for children.

The Burn and Reconstructive Centers of America is the largest network of burn care in the U.S., and no stranger to kitchen injuries.

“When children are first learning to walk, they tend to explore with their hands, so oven doors are a real danger at that point,” Dr. Claus Brandigi, burn surgeon and CEO of the burn center said.

As children get older and start cooking on their own, the burn center sees more cases of scald burns. Dr. Brandigi says this is typically from a child getting a bowl of hot soup out of the microwave.

“They’re not quite tall enough to reach it appropriately on the counter, or maybe they’re using a chair, but typically they’ll pull it down and accidentally catch the edge of the counter top or the edge of the microwave and spill it on themselves,” Dr. Brandigi said.

To help prevent your children from getting burned in the kitchen, try to create a 3-foot radius around the stove that is a kid-free zone.

“When you’re cooking on a stove top, always try to use the back burners and keep the handles turned back away from the edge,” Dr. Brandigi said.

If anyone suffers a kitchen burn, use cold water, but do not ice the area.

“We don’t wanna use ice because that can actually cause more injury if you leave it on there an extended period of time,” Dr. Brandigi said. “Cold running water is the best for all types of burns. If you see any blistering, I’d definitely see a burn specialist at that point.”

In case of a kitchen fire, cover the flames with a lid or use a fire extinguisher at a safe distance.

“Typically, if there’s a fire in the kitchen it’s an oil or grease fire,” Dr. Brandigi said. “You don’t want to ever just grab that pot and try to take it to the sink. It’ll splash on you and cause worse damage when you put water on it.”

For the Burn and Reconstructive Centers of America’s complete list of tips, see below or CLICK HERE.