“I Never Imagined a Playground Could Cause Such a Burn”
Recent heatwaves in Israel have turned playgrounds into hazards for toddlers. Doctors warn that scorching surfaces can cause severe burns, urging parents to be vigilant and check temperatures before letting children crawl.
The last few days in Israel have been characterized by particularly hot weather, and it turns out that those affected are mainly toddlers who step on hot surfaces while playing.
Shelly, a 10-month-old baby, was crawling last week on the family's balcony while her parents watched her with pleasure. "Suddenly she shriveled up and started screaming," her father tells mako Health. "We thought she had stepped on glass or something sharp. I ran to her barefoot, and when I stepped on the floor I immediately understood what happened—my feet were simply burned. I realized that the floor surface was scorching from the sun."
A similar case occurred a few weeks ago to Nevo, a one-year-old baby who was spending time with his family at the Tel Aviv Port. "He was crawling in the playground between the sheds, and suddenly he started screaming," his mother says. "I realized how boiling the surface was. He was burned on both his palms and his feet." After consulting with a dermatologist, it turned out that Nevo had suffered a 2nd-degree burn. "He suffered a lot and limped for a few days. I had a lot of guilt. I never imagined that a playground surface could cause such a burn."
According to Dr. Efrat Bar-Ilan, a senior pediatric dermatologist at Clalit in the Dan District - Petah Tikva, burns from hot surfaces are a known phenomenon every summer, but many parents do not realize that surfaces like artificial grass can cause them. "In the summer everyone thinks about sunburns, but almost no one thinks about burns from playground surfaces. It is very important to increase awareness of the issue."
Infants are at the highest risk. Children who are already walking can usually run away from the hot surface or tell a parent they are in pain. In contrast, infants who crawl cannot. Their palms, knees, and stomachs are in direct contact with the ground. "Children's skin is thinner and more delicate than adults', and therefore it is damaged faster," explains the doctor.
When air temperatures reach 35 to 40 degrees, surfaces like artificial grass, asphalt, concrete, metal equipment, and even sand can heat up to 60 or 70 degrees. At such temperatures, even a very short contact can cause a burn.
Dr. Bar-Ilan emphasizes that initial treatment is crucial. "You need to immediately remove the child from the hot surface and cool the area with cool running water for about 20 minutes. Do not use ice, do not apply toothpaste, butter, or other grandmother's remedies," she stresses. If the burn is significant, involves blisters, or affects sensitive areas, seek medical attention.
"Do not allow children to walk barefoot on surfaces exposed to the sun," she concludes. "Prefer to play in the morning or afternoon hours, and check the heat of the surface with the back of your hand. If it is too hot for you, it is too hot for them too."
