A trip to the playground turned into a nightmare for one mum after her son suffered second degree burns from going down a slide.
Ashley Elizabeth Brown from Tennesse was horrified to see the burns on her sons hands while he was at the La Petite Academy in Cleveland. The toddler went down a slide and landed on a rubber mat during a very hot day, leading to painful burns on his palms.
The mum took to Facebook to share her outrage that her son was allowed to go down a slide on such a hot day.
In a post she said: ‘What does plastic/rubber equiptment do in the sun? IT HEATS UP BEYOND THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE. What happens when you put skin on extremely hot surfaces? IT BURNS'
Ashley also questioned why his teachers did not think to check the temperature of the playground equipment, considering the hot weather.
In images she shared of her son's hands, which have now gone viral, you can see the painful blisters on his tiny palms.
The day care responded with a statement sharing their regret over the incident. It read: ‘As caregivers and parents ourselves, we're heartbroken that this has happened. Safety is of the utmost importance to us. We're keeping the children engaged in indoor activity today as we partner with licensing to find a solution that will continue to meet state safety regulatory requirements and prevent this from happening again.'
Although cases like this are rare, there is still a significant risk for children getting burnt from playground equipment when it's in direct sunlight on a hot day. However, this doesn't mean you have to stop taking you child to the park when the whether is hot.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommended that parents check for uncoated metal equipment or places where the heat-reducing coating has been rubbed off. They also suggested for children to be dressed in long trousers and tops, and keep their shoes on to reduce the risk.
