A mother in Changsha, Central China's Hunan province, used table salt to sanitize wounds on her 1-year-old daughter, causing the baby to become critically ill on April 16, Hunan Daily reported.

The baby was scalded on her head, face, neck and chest by a cup of spilled hot water. Her mother then sanitized the wounds with salt before taking her to a hospital. The doctor was astonished at the wounds covered in salt, and issued a critically ill notice and hospitalized the baby.

Table salt on the burns can draw out water from cells, resulting in blood concentration and high sodium in the blood. Patients are at risk of hypovolemic shock.

Expert Yin Qiang advised people to not use traditional home treatments on burns, which may cause infections. Burns can be washed with running water, then bound with gauze before going to a doctor.