Leading Actress Amanda Redman calls for greater awareness on National Burn Awareness Day as burns to children from hot drinks rise
SHARP RISE IN HOT DRINK BURNS TO CHILDREN SPARKS NATIONAL WARNING
New figures released on National Burn Awareness Day 2025 show a 16.4% increase in serious hot drink burns to children.
Amanda Redman and Children’s Burns Trust are issuing an urgent call to parents and carers following alarming new data from the International Burn Injury Database (iBID), which reveals a 16.4% rise in the number of children with severe hot drink burns between 2022 and 2024. These are not minor injuries, every child included in these numbers required admission to a Specialist Burns Service because their burns were too serious to be treated in A&E or general hospitals. One Spill Can Change a Child’s Life.
Amanda Redman, actress and burn survivor says “The latest figures from Children’s Burns Trust are truly heart-wrenching – a 16.4% rise in severe hot drink burns in children is not just a statistic; it’s a stark and painful reality that one spill can tragically change a child’s life forever. As a burn survivor myself, and a patron of Children’s Burns Trust, I understand the profound and lasting impact such accidents can have.”
“If only the mug handle had been pointing inwards…”
Tom, father of one-year-old burn survivor Bella, shared how an ordinary morning turned into a family’s worst nightmare:
“It was a usual family morning in January as my partner and I prepared breakfast and our daughter Bella pottered around, only just confident on her feet. The freshly made mug of tea was on the dining table, close to the edge with the handle facing outwards. In the blink of an eye, Bella reached up and pulled it down over her chest.
Bella was rushed to Exeter hospital, given pain relief and initial treatment, before we were sent to the burns service in Plymouth. Within two hours of arriving, she was in surgery.”
Bella – injury from a hot drink spill
Hot drinks remain the leading cause of burns to children in the UK, and due to their small size, a single spill can cover a large portion of a child’s body, often resulting in life-changing injuries and long-term psychological trauma. Despite this, these accidents are entirely preventable by keeping hot drinks out of reach.
Ken Dunn, Consultant Burns and Plastic Surgeon (retired) and Vice Chair of The Children’s Burns Trust, said:
“The rise in hot drink burns to children is deeply concerning, especially because these types of accidents are entirely preventable. A split-second spill can cause devastating, life-altering injuries. Many parents simply don’t realise how far a child can reach. By keeping hot drinks well out of reach, especially when children are nearby, we can prevent these traumatic incidents from occurring.”
Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, Children’s Burns Trust, the only UK charity dedicated to supporting burn-injured children and their families, is calling on parents and carers to be extra vigilant, especially in everyday settings like kitchens, living rooms and dining areas. Many assume it won’t happen to their child, but these injuries occur in an instant and the consequences can last a lifetime.