A one-year-old boy suffered second-degree burns when hot water from a heater spilled onto his chest at their home in Barangay Talomo River, Davao City.

Upon receiving the report, responders from the Talomo River Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (BDRRMC) rushed the child to the Southern Philippines Medical Center.

“Ang bata kay naay second degree burn ang bata mao to wala nami lain gihatag sa bata kundi immediate transport na lang gyud,” BDRRMC Responder, Justin Jay, Mangmang, said.

According to the child’s mother, she boiled water for coffee and had already unplugged the heater but the baby was able to reach the heater.

“Di ko namalayan na ang anak ko tumakbo na papunta sa heater sa may lamesa,” she said.

DIFFICULT SITUATION

The baby has been discharged from the hospital and is recuperating at home but the incident with the hot water has made his and the family’s situation more difficult.

Even before the incident, the boy has suffered from a medical condition that affects his ability to pass stool normally. He had a colostomy bag attached to his stomach when the incident happened. The bag was not damaged.

The family is seeking financial help to fund the boy’s next two surgical operations, which are necessary to restore normal bowel function.

“‘Yung bituka po niya padulong sa pwet, wala po siyang ugat, negative po, kaya kung magpo-poop po sya, gamay gamay lang, kaya inoperahan po siya para dito na muna sya mag-poop. Matulungan na maopera agad para paglaki po niya mga 5 years old, makapag aral na po siya,” the boy’s mother said.

Authorities have reminded parents to keep hazardous items out of children’s reach.