Be Careful Feeding Children Instant Noodles, Paediatric Nurse Warns

An Australian nurse is urging parents to be extra vigilant when feeding kids instant noodles.

Paediatric nurse Sarah Hunstead, who heads Australia’s children’s safety page CPR Kids, said it takes less than a second for the hot instant noodles to cause severe burns if spilled.

It comes as health authorities saw a spike in the number of children suffering burns from the popular snack.

‘Noodles are a popular snack, especially in the colder months, but did you know they are also a common cause of scald burns in toddlers, children and teenagers?’ Ms Hunstead wrote on Instagram.

‘Little ones have received serious burns from either pulling a cooling bowl of noodles on top of themselves or spilling them while consuming them.⁠’

Ms Hunstead then shared her recommendation to help prevent burns.

‘Drain the boiling water, rinse the noodles in cold water in the strainer for a few seconds, and then check the temperature to see whether they are cool enough to eat,’ she said.

This way, they will be ready to eat safely without a long wait for them to cool down, and with no scalding water in sight!⁠’

In October 2023 New South Wales health authorities issued a warning after five children were sent to hospital in one week following burns from instant noodles.

The most common injuries were burns to the thighs or genital area, caused by children accidentally spilling the boiling liquid on themselves while carrying the container or eating from their lap.

Burns have also been seen in toddlers, caused by pulling the container down from the kitchen bench or table when left to cool.

Last month Ms Hunstead also shared some advice that could save a life.

She said it’s important to outline a suspicious mark on the body to note whether it changes or grows.

People are encouraged to draw a border around a suspected rash, bite, or spot using a skin-safe pen so that it is easy to identify whether it is getting worse.

‘Remember: Outline with pen, then check it again!’ Ms Hunstead said.

While most rashes are harmless and resolve themselves in a few days, it is safest to keep a close eye on any new marks in case you have to visit a doctor.

Rashes can be caused by infections, allergic reactions, immune-system problems or by reactions to medicines.