Use of plaster in moulding children & babies hands & feet .

Julie found an article this week regarding the use of plaster as a moulding material for hands & feet.

This should not be done for several reasons, one of which is highlighted in the articles . A water & plaster mixture is exothermic - that is, heat is given off when the two are mixed together & this CAN cause burns if the mixture is in contact with the skin. Plaster bandage is usually kept slightly off the skin with a layer of vaseline & dues to being applied in thin layers tends not to give rise to the same issues as a tub of plaster mix does.

Have a read & you'll see why we only recommend taking moulds of children's hands & feet with aliginate - an inert, non toxic mixture which is fully biodegradeable. Plus, you'll get much more detail with alginate!

Plaster of Paris Hazard Alert
In an incident a girl was mixing Plaster of Paris with
water by hand, intending to make a plaster cast of
her hand. The mix became very hot, the girl suffered
serious burns and her hands had to be amputated.
The safety Data Sheet supplied with the product did
warn against making casts of the hand.
Although Plaster of Paris is used for setting bones,
in such cases it is never put in direct contact with the
skin and, in addition, it is used in relatively thin layer
so the heat can dissipate. In bulk the temperature can
reach 60°C or so.
Before using plaster of paris to make casts of the
children’s hands or feet, please check with the
product manufacturer that it is safe to do so.

Taken from the Northern Devon District Early Years and Childcare Newsletter, Summer 2007
Link to the original pdf document

Want to buy some alginate for your castign needs? We sell alginate in heat sealed bags on their own or in packs with casting powder & full instruction. Click here to see our alginate & plaster supplies. Data sheets are available for all our materials on request.