According to a new study, there should be some extra safety controls in microwave ovens to prevent children from opening them and being burned by hot food. In the study, published by University of Chicago Medical Center, researchers in the October 2008, recommends extra protections, like locking mechanism and stepped up warning campaigns, to reduce accidental injuries to children while removing food from microwave oven. 

For children severe scalds can be devastating and they can leave scars and wounds that can restrict movement. Study author Lawrence Gottlieb said, “It is far better to prevent these injuries than to treat painful burns and try to fix the resultant scars.” He also added that burns have long lasting effects on appearance and physical function.

Researchers studied on 104 patients below 5 years of age who were admitted with scald burns to the Medical Center's Burn Unit between Jan. 1, 2002, and Dec. 31, 2004, for unintentional injuries, but not for tap water scalds. Researchers found that 90 percent of the 104 children were scalded by hot food or liquids.

 It was found that 9 children between the ages of 18 months and 4 years were burned after opening microwave oven and removing the hot substance themselves. 17 children were scalded while an older child, 7 to 14 years of age, was cooking or supervising the younger child. Most injuries occurred in children between 10 and 21 months while they were at home being cared for by their family or primary caregiver.

For injuries caused due to microwave, it was suggested by the researchers to install mechanisms to prevent children from opening a microwave after something had been heated. “Microwaved foods and drinks can cause serious scald injuries to young children,” said study author Gina Lowell, MD, “While parents may well recognize the stove as a danger area in the kitchen, they may not realize that their toddlers can open the microwave, remove what was heated, and scald themselves.”