Toddler burned after hot coffee splashes on her

By Maureen Gilmer, Riley Children’s Health senior writer, mgilmer1@iuhealth.org

Aubrey Mettert is a curious, spirited toddler just learning her way in the world. Last month, that curiosity landed her in the hospital after a burn injury.

The 18-month-old accidentally tipped a mug of just-brewed hot coffee off a buffet on top of herself while an adult’s back was turned for a fraction of a second.

That’s all it took for the little girl to sustain first- and second-degree burns on her back, shoulder, chest and face.

After a trip to the local emergency department in Seymour, Indiana, she was taken by ambulance to Riley Hospital for Children for treatment of her burns.

“What a blessing this hospital and the staff have been,” Aubrey’s mom said in sharing the news of her daughter’s injury with family and friends during her time at Riley.

Aubrey is the only child of Clayton and Brittany Mettert. Seeing their little girl covered in blisters from the burns was painful in itself, but Brittany said they found strength from their daughter.

“I’m so proud of how strong she was the whole time. She was strong, so it made us strong.”

Aubrey spent six days at Riley, undergoing daily baths to scrub the burns to promote new healing.

She had one surgery with plastic surgeon Dr. Fatih Zor but was able to avoid skin grafts.

During their time at Riley, Brittany said the care and compassion was evident in the medical team, the EVS team who cleaned their room and the cafeteria workers.

“Just walking around, everybody had a smile on their face, or they were at least empathetic,” she said. “Aubrey was wrapped up and looked like a little mummy. It helped how caring and knowledgeable the staff was. They made it a lot better.”

Madeline Zieger, longtime physician assistant in the burn unit at Riley, said accidents like Aubrey’s are, unfortunately, common.

Scald burns are the most frequent injury in children younger than 4, Zieger said, whether suffered in the bathtub, sink or in the kitchen, where they can inadvertently pull a hot liquid down on themselves.

“Or they might be underfoot when an adult is cooking, and the adult trips and spills whatever was on the stove,” Zieger said.

Accidents happen in the kitchen, but steps can be taken to help prevent them:

1.Keep young kids out of the kitchen when cooking.

2. Set hot liquids far back on a table or counter, out of reach of children.

3. Cook on back burners, and turn pot handles inward, away from the edge of the stove.

4. When heating foods in the microwave, stir well and open the container away from the child to let steam escape.

While a burn might not seem significant, it’s important to see a doctor or visit an emergency department in case of serious injury.

“Burns have to be taken care of appropriately; otherwise, they can lead to scarring, loss of function and infection,” Zieger said.

In Aubrey’s case, she was able to be discharged home, once the last of her bandages came off, but she will return to Riley regularly for follow-up visits for at least the next year.

“Burn injuries require long-term follow-up to monitor for scarring and functional outcome,” Zieger said. “If not treated properly, a burn injury can significantly impact a child’s life.”

Aubrey’s mom said if sharing her story helps prevent one child from being injured in a similar accident, it is well worth it.

Today, she said, you wouldn’t know her daughter was injured by the way she acts.

“She is a completely happy-go-lucky kid, back to doing gymnastics. I was worried she wouldn’t like bathtime anymore, but it didn’t seem to affect her. We’re very blessed with how happy and how well she took everything.”

Riley’s Burn Center has earned official reverification as a pediatric burn center by the American Burn Association.