Victoria boy Levi Presland is on the road to recovery after a freak accident involving a cigarette lighter and a polyester jumper. Six weeks ago Levi was playing in his backyard, flicking a lighter on, when a spark landed on his polyester jumper.
Immediately Levi was “engulfed in flames” as the jumper caught on fire and he tried to remove his jumper. Levi’s 14-year-old sister, Megan, sprung into action and dowsed him with a nearby garden hose. The family called the paramedics who arrived within minutes and Levi was quickly airlifted to the Royal Children’s Hopsital for treatment.
Levi suffered full-thickness burns to his torso and underarms, and minor burns to his face and hand when he removed the jumper. He required eight surgeries and has remained in hospital for weeks.
Sprung into action mode
“He was just flicking a cigarette lighter and the jumper he had on at the time was made from quite a flammable polyester material,” Levi’s mother Amie Presland said. “And it just lit up.”
Levi’s sister Megan admits she “kind of went into action mode” when she looked over and saw that her brother’s jumper caught on fire.
“I looked up and saw him engulfed in flames, trying to pull his jumper off.”
While Levi is now back at home recovering and “feeling good”, he will continue to make visits to the Royal Children’s Hospital for two years. The parents have set up a GoFundMe account to help with the ongoing costs.
Be aware of synthetic materials
More than 1000 children under 15 were admitted to burns wards last year due to the various burn hazards. While not every instance involved synthetic material, parents are being warned to check the labels of their children’s clothing.
“Choose clothing that has a low fire danger label (and) teach your children the stop, drop, cover and roll drill,” Kidsafe spokesperson Sarah Sexton said.
Synthetic materials such as nylon and polyester, which melt once ignited are the most dangerous.
Flammable clothing warning
Many clothing retailers have issued product recalls due to their clothing not complying with labelling requirements or safety standards. This includes Kathmandu, Target, the Oodie and Kmart.
There are plenty of fire hazards around the house that our children can run into – stove tops, chemicals, BBQs, and outdoor fire pits. Make sure you are aware of these fire hazards and have taken the necessary plans to ensure your child is safe around them.
Another common burn concern, especially during summer in Australia is walking barefoot on hot sand or pavement. Even a few seconds on a hot surface can lead to very painful burns!
What to do if your child suffers a burn
Tiny Hearts Education shared this important first aid for burns information about what to do if your child is ever burned.
- Call 000 if the pain is severe or if the burn is to the genitals, hands, face, throat, or airways.
- Immediately hold the affected area under cool running water for 20 minutes.
- Do not apply ice, lotion, creams or food items (such as egg whites, toothpaste or butter) to the wound.
- Cover the wound with a loose nonstick dressing or with cling wrap.
If the burn is minor and hasn’t caused the skin to blister or break, you shouldn’t need to see a doctor. But for all other burns, or if you’re particularly concerned, seek medical assistance.
