Parenta July 2020 Magazine

How to treat
burns
and scalds
Burns are one of the most common
accidents that can befall a child, so it
is vital that the people in your setting
not only know how to prevent them
in the first place, but understand
how to treat them with first aid if
they do occur. Burns and scalds are
slightly different but they both result
in damage to the skin usually caused
by heat. A burn is caused by dry
heat, such as an iron, fire of touching
something hot such as a kettle or
curling irons. A scald is caused by
something wet such as hot water,
steam or hot tea/coffee. Both can be
very painful and result in blistering
or peeling of the skin, swelling and
white or charred skin which can leave
permanent scars.
Many young children do not know that
touching hot things can hurt them, so
it is imperative that you teach them to
stay away from potentially dangerous
things, such as kettles, cups and fires.
Both burns and scalds are treated in
the same way and you should ensure
that all your staff know how to treat
them with first aid.
First aid for burns and scalds
1. Make sure the person is away
from the heat source and is at
no further risk. Ensure that no one
else is at risk either.
2. Cool the burn with cool or
lukewarm running water for
20 minutes. Do not user ice, iced
water or any creams or greasy
substances like butter or honey.
These can cause further damage
when trying to remove them later.
3. Remove any clothing or
jewellery that is near the burnt
area of skin, including nappies
but DO NOT remove anything
that is stuck to the skin as this
can cause further damage or
bleeding.
4. Keep the person warm using a
blanket or coats, to help avoid
the person going into shock, but
be very careful not to catch or rub
the burnt area.
5. Cover the burn using cling film
or a clean plastic bag to help
prevent infection. Be gentle when
applying this. The cling film will
not stick to the burn.
6. If allowed, painkillers such as
paracetamol or ibuprofen may
be administered to alleviate
pain, but this will depend on
your setting’s permissions on
administering medicines and you
should always check with parents
regarding this if in doubt.
Acid or chemical burns
Some burns can be caused by
corrosive chemicals such as acids.
If this is the case, you should dial
999, carefully and safely remove
any residue of the chemical and
contaminated clothing and rinse the
infected area with as much water as
possible.
Burns to the face and/or
eyes
If the infected area is in the eyes or
on the face, try to sit the person up
rather than lying them down as this
helps to reduce swelling due to the
upright position.
When to seek medical
attention
With most minor burns, it is often
possible to treat these at home or in
the setting provided that the burn is
not serious and the correct first aid
(as above) has been applied in time.
You should:
• Always keep the burn clean
• Never burst any blisters that form
on the skin
• Seek professional medical
attention in the burn gets worse
or the person suffers any side
effects and ALWAYS SEEK
MEDICAL ADVICE FOR CHILDREN
AND BABIES after applying first
aid
Always go to A&E for:
• chemical and electrical burns of
any kind
• large or deep burns – which
means something larger than the
injured person’s hand
• burns that cause white or charred
skin of any size
• burns that cause blisters on the
face, hands, arms, feet, legs or
genitals
• where a person has inhaled
smoke or fumes
• people at greater risk from the
effects of burns and this includes
children under 5 and pregnant
women
• Remember to call 999 if burns are
severe or if the person goes into
shock. Shock is a life-threatening
condition which occurs as the
body begins to shut down various
organs to preserve life, resulting
insufficient oxygen supply to
certain parts of the body.
Categorising burns
Burns are assessed and categorised
by how seriously the skin is damaged
and which of the 3 layers of skin are
affected: the outer epidermis layer;
the dermis which is just beneath
the epidermis and contains nerve
endings, sweat glands, hair follicles
and blood capillaries; or the deep
subcutaneous fat layer, the subcutis.
Depending on the extent of the
damage, the burn will result in
different symptoms and be classified
as a:
1. Superficial epidermal burn
2. Deep dermal or partial thickness
burn
3. Superficial dermal burn
4. Full thickness burn
Prevention is always better
than cure
Last month we celebrated Child Safety
Week and there are many charities
and associations which can help give
advice on how to reduce your risk of
burns and scalds just by being more
aware of the dangers and keeping
little people out of harms way.
Remember to:
• Keep children out of areas where
there are hot things are, e.g.
kitchens – use safety gates
• Keep hot handles turned inwards
and away from surface edges
and use short or curly leads on
kettles so children cannot reach
up and pull them
• Use the back rings on a cooker if
possible
• Keep hot drinks away from
children – better to use a cup with
a lid to minimise any spills in case
of accidents
• Always test the bath water using
your elbow and never leave
children alone even for a moment
• Fit thermostatic valves to control
water temperature
• Fit fireguards to all fires/heaters
• Do not pick up children whilst
carrying a hot drink
• Do not allow children to drink hot
drinks through a straw
• Test the heat of food and bottles
before offering them to a child
• Keep all matches, lighters, and
lit candles out of sight and out of
the reach of children – in locked
cupboards
For further advice:
• See the NHS website on burns
and scalds
• Contact the Red Cross
• Call NHS 111
• Go to a walk-in or minor injuries
unit
20 July 2020 | parenta.com
parenta.com | July 2020 21