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McKesson Clinical Reference Systems: Pediatric Advisor 2002.1
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Burns (Thermal)
What is a burn?
Most of burns are from hot water, hot drinks, hot grease,
heating grates, and cigarettes.
There are three degrees of burns:
- A first-degree burn is reddened skin without blisters.
It does not leave a scar.
- A second-degree burn has blisters. It also does not
leave a scar. Second-degree burns take up to 3 weeks to
heal.
- A third-degree burn is deep and leaves areas of charred
skin. During healing it usually needs a skin graft to
prevent bad scarring.
How can I take care of my child?
- First Aid: Immediately (don't take time to remove
clothing) put the burned part in cold tap water or pour
cold tap water over it for 10 minutes. If you are
outside, the nearest garden hose should be used. This
will lessen the depth of the burn and relieve pain. If
the burned area is large, cover it loosely with a clean
sheet. You can also use plastic wrap. The covering will
keep the burn clean and reduce the pain.
- Home Care: Wash the area gently with liquid soap twice a
day. Don't open any blisters--the outer skin protects
the burn from infection. If the burn is second degree,
the blister is broken, and the skin is gone, put an
antibiotic ointment (such as bacitracin or Betadine) on
it and cover it with a Band-Aid or sterile gauze
dressing. Do not put any butter or burn ointments on the
burn. Wash the burn, reapply the antibiotic ointment,
and change the Band-Aid or dressing daily.
For pain put cold wet cloths on the burned area and take
acetaminophen every 4 hours or ibuprofen every 6 hours
for at least 24 hours.
Note: Once the blisters break open, the dead skin needs
to be trimmed off with fine scissors. Otherwise, the
hidden pockets become an ideal breeding ground for
infections.
- Prevention: Think about how you can prevent similar
accidents in the future. Also, install a smoke detector.
When should I call my child's health care provider?
Call IMMEDIATELY if:
- A blister is larger than 2 inches across.
- The burn is on the face, hands, feet, or genitals.
- It was an electrical burn.
Call during office hours if:
- It starts to look infected.
- It isn't healed within 10 days.
- You feel your child is getting worse.
- You have other questions or concerns.
Related Topics
Burn Safety: Hot Water Temperature
Chemical Burn
Prevention of Burns
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