Most burns occur as a result of scalding with hot liquids, fire, electricity or chemicals. Here’s how to deal with such an emergency in your own home.

Children and burns

In South Africa, burns are the greatest cause of unnatural death in children under five. A case in point is that of young Isabella (Pippie) Kruger who was badly burnt when the liquid fire lighters her father was using to light their “braai” exploded. We were all shocked to the core by visual images of the little girl’s horrific third-degree burns and we all rejoiced when she pulled through. This incident and others that followed once again emphasised the importance of keeping children away from open fires and other burn hazards and, of course, preventing burns from occurring.

Dealing with burns

Burns can range from mild to severe. Not all burns require emergency medical care and some minor burns can be treated at home. However, serious, third-degree burns are medical emergencies and should be treated in a hospital.

First aid for burns

Remove the source of the heat, smother flames with a blanket or roll the child on the ground or use water. In the case of electrical burns, separate and remove the child from the source but be careful that you do not shock yourself. Check for breathing and a heartbeat.

Remove jewelry or clothing at the site of the burn. Clothing can also retain heat and should be removed as soon as possible and very carefully if possible. However, do not try to remove material, such as nylon or chemicals such as tar or plastic that is stuck to the skin. Rather run cold water over the hot tar or hot plastic to cool it down and cut away material around the burn. Remove all jewelry; it may be hard to remove later when swelling occurs. Warning: Do not try to remove clothing if it is a major, serious, third-degree burn

Assess the burn. Try to quickly assess the burn before proceeding with treatment.

    • First-degree burns are painful but the least serious. The skin at the burn site will be red and there may be some swelling later. Home treatment should suffice.
    • Second-degree burns are more serious and much more painful. Skin at the burn site may take on an intensely reddened, splotchy, appearance with blisters forming and swelling taking place. Treatment will depend on the size and area covered by the burn. However, do not pop the blisters and when in doubt seek professional medical help!
    • Third-degree burns are the most serious as they destroy the outer layer of skin (epidermis) and the entire layer beneath (the dermis). The burn sites may be charred and black or appear dry and white. Lack of pain is an indication that nerve endings have been destroyed. If smoke has been inhaled together with the burns the child may have difficulty inhaling and exhaling and professional, emergency treatment should be sought immediately.

Cool the burn. Active cooling removes heat and stalls progression of the burn if performed within 20 minutes of the injury. Hold the burned area under cool (not cold) running water for 10 or 15 minutes or until the pain subsides or use cold compresses. Use lots of water to flush out chemical burns. Warning: Cool the burn but do not use ice or immerse large severe burns in cold water as it may cause body temperature to drop and the body to go into shock, especially in children.

Cover the burn. Use sterile gauze but wrap loosely to avoid putting pressure on burned skin and exposed nerve endings. Polyvinyl chloride film (cling film) is an ideal first aid cover as long as the first few centimetres of the roll are discarded to prevent infection. Laying this on the burn site is better than bandaging the site because it will not constrict the area when swelling sets in. A clean cotton sheet will also do the trick. Place a blanket over the top to prevent heat loss. Warning: Do not cover the burn with any ointment such as Vasaline, egg white, butter or cream.

Administer an over-the-counter pain reliever when dealing with mild burns. Warning: Do not give aspirin to very young children or to children and teenagers recovering from chickenpox or flu-like symptoms.

 

Sources

Burns: First Aid. 2012. Retrieved from:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-burns/basics/art-20056649
Burns: home treatment. Retrieved from: http://www.webmd.com/first-aid/tc/burns-home-treatment
Dealing with burns. Retrieved from: http://kidshealth.org/teen/babysitting_center/first_aid/babysit_burns.html