Trina Kennedy admits she'd rather forget the past holiday season.
Her plans to spend the days between Christmas and New Year's Eve with friends and family were replaced with sleepless nights at the hospital.Last Saturday, Kennedy's 11-month-old son, Brandon, was burned on his face, shoulder and chest after pulling over a deep fryer full of hot oil.
"It happened so fast I really can't remember it happening," Kennedy said.
The West Valley woman was cooking scones on a kitchen counter in celebration of her husband's 29th birthday. Little Brandon was scooting around the kitchen in his walker when he suddenly grabbed the deep fryer cord.
The fryer apparently bounced off the walker - splashing oil on Brandon's chest, one shoulder and a section of his face.
"I hurried and got Brandon into a cold shower while I was holding him in my arms," said Kennedy.
Paramedics arrived a short time later and flew Brandon to the University Hospital's Intermountain Burn Center.
For several days, Kennedy and her husband James stayed close to their son while medical workers treated Brandon's second and third-degree burns. At one point, doctors had to drain fluid that was causing pressure in his stomach.
Brandon was listed in stable condition Friday. Doctors plan to do a skin graph on Monday.
"He shouldn't have any scarring on his face," said Trina Kennedy.
Brandon's older brother, Nicolas, is also doing well. Hospital counselors have spent time with the 8-year-old explaining Brandon's treatment and prognosis.
If things continue to improve, Brandon could be released from the hospital in two or three weeks. In the meantime, the Kennedys say they're happy their son is receiving "excellent care".
"Everyone here has been so kind and informative," said Trina Kennedy. "We've never met such compassionate people,".
Brandon's accident adds to already difficult times for the Kennedys. James Kennedy recently lost his job because of a slow construction season, and finances are a concern.
"We will struggle a little, but we're staying strong," said Trina Kennedy.
Kitchens pose several burn risks to small children.
As always, prevention goes a long way, according to Barbara Ward, nurse manager at the Intermountain Burn Center.
Ward offers the following tips:
- Never leave a child unattended in the kitchen. Remember, any child old enough to crawl is probably old enough to climb up stoves or into ovens.
- Pay attention to surroundings while in the kitchen with children. Pot handles and cords should not be accessible or visible to kids.
- Keep electrical outlets covered with protective caps.
- Make sure kitchen closets are locked to prevent chemical burns or ingestion.
- Always keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen.
- Set water heaters at a low enough temperature to prevent scalding burns.
And in the event of a child burn accident, Ward says it's vital to first stop the burning process while waiting for medical help.
Use cold water to cool hot liquid burns, and remove any clothing that's been burned to decrease surface temperature.