Health authorities have issued a warning to parents following a spike in the number of children suffering scalding burns from instant noodles.
About 10 children have been treated for burns from the popular snack over the past month, according to experts at The Children's Hospital at Westmead (CHW) in Sydney.
The hospital said 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.
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Toddlers have also been injured after pulling a container of noodles from a kitchen bench or table, while it was left to cool.
CHW Head of the Burns Unit Dr Torey Lawrence said it can take less than a second for spilled instant noodles to cause a severe burn.
"Boiling water in hot noodle containers can take an hour to cool down to a safe temperature after cooking," he said.
"This means accidents like spilling the hot water from instant noodles can cause long-lasting injuries and life-long scarring for children.
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"It is important to remember hot food and drink that may be a good temperature for an adult can cause a significant burn to a child.
"Children's skin is comparatively thinner than adults and even a small amount of hot liquid can cause deeper, more extensive, and more severe burns."
Dr Lawrence said it was important for children to have close supervision of an adult when consuming hot food and drink.
"Simple measures such as always having an adult remove the container from the microwave, draining the hot water from the noodles before serving, ensuring children eat noodles at the table instead of on their lap, and using non-stick placemats can make a huge difference," he said.
