“We can’t change what happened to him,” said Ashley Papageorge, a Greenfield mom whose son, Jax McCracken, experienced serious burn injuries as a child.

“The only thing that we can do is raise awareness and share his story in hopes that even just one family thinks, ‘Oh gosh, I should start cooking more on my back burner,’ or ‘I should make sure that my handles are turned in.’”

Nine-year-old Jax McCracken was only 18 months old when a split second changed his life forever. Jax was spending time with his grandmother, who was boiling water to make him some macaroni and cheese.

“He ran into the kitchen with his blanket that he carried around at the time, and when he ran in he wanted her to pick him up,” said Papageorge. “He lifted his arms like this, and the blanket caught onto the pot, and it fell on her leg, her arm, and this whole side of him.”

Boiling hot water spilled onto Jax, causing serious burns across 18–20% of his body’s total surface area.

“During the first 24 hours, the swelling was so severe,” said Papageorge. “He looked so different that we brought pictures of him in — enlarged pictures — and hung them up because we wanted the doctors and nurses to see what he looked like.”

Papageorge said her family was thankful at the time that Jax had not lost his sight. For months following the incident, she said Jax underwent several laser procedures and skin grafts to help repair the affected skin.

“There are unusual lines in it that I don’t really understand,” said Jax, looking down at his arm and its scars. “I kind of like it. I mean, it’s cool — looks cool. It makes me feel stronger and braver.”

Jax said he does not remember much about the incident or his time in the hospital, but he explained that his scars serve as a reminder to be extra careful in the kitchen.

Papageorge said Jax now has a two-year-old little brother whom he watches carefully whenever she is cooking.

“It’s a big deal in our house. He’s really good at making sure he’s not in the kitchen when Mom’s cooking,” said Papageorge.

“If we’re cooking ramen or something, I try to keep him away and have him watch TV or something,” said Jax, describing how he helps protect his youngest sibling.

At Riley Hospital for Children, doctors working in the burn unit said they see approximately 200 inpatient cases and 3,000 outpatient visits every year.

“About 70% of those burn injuries we see happen inside the home,” said Dr. Brett Hartman, medical director of Riley Children’s Hospital Burn Unit. “So many of these incidents can be prevented if we simply follow some basic safety rules around the house.”

Dr. Hartman and Papageorge recommended the following tips to help prevent burn injuries:

• Cook on back burners rather than front burners.
• Turn pot and pan handles inward.
• Keep young children out of the kitchen while actively cooking.

“If we can prevent even one of those injuries this week, that’s a win in my mind,” said Dr. Hartman.

“This could happen when you least expect it,” said Papageorge. “I mean, my mom was just trying to make her grandson mac ’n’ cheese.”

Source: fox59.com