Burn Injuries Affecting Children and How to Deal With Them

It was afternoon time; all of us were resting after a sumptuous lunch. My parents who had come to visit us were to leave that day. Therefore all our spirits were very low. My father got busy with some last minute ironing and packing. The silence was suddenly interrupted by the shrieks of my younger daughter aged one and half. We rushed in the direction of the shrieks, I was fervently hoping it must be a small fall but we were in for a shock, she had gone to the table where my father was ironing and when he had moved away to get more clothes, had quietly picked up the hot iron and placed it on her hand. She was now unable to release her hand from under the iron. I picked her up simultaneously thinking about the next course of action. I half heard a myriad of suggestions apply milk, butter, but I quickly decided to hold the hand under running water.

Three of her fingers were affected. The hand had remained for a few seconds under the iron so the burn must be a little deeper. None of us had any idea how to recognize the severity of the burn or what medication could be provided to a toddler. As it happens in all emergencies our pediatrician was not available. We went through a lot of heart burn and confusion because of our ignorance, therefore I felt the need to bring together some of the essential things we need to know in case of burn or scald injuries in children.
Burns may be caused by heat, flame, hot liquids or metals, steam or hot water, sun, chemicals or electricity. Burns are identified and treated according to the degree of tissue damage and the type of agent responsible. Burns to the face, neck, crotch, feet and joints are generally more serious than other burns.

Types of Burns
• First-Degree Burns - Minor, affecting only the outer layer of skin (epidermis). They may cause pain, reddening and mild swelling, but they do not produce blisters.
• Second-Degree Burns- Involve both the epidermis and underlying dermis layers of skin, resulting in blistering and oozing in addition to pain, reddening and swelling.
• Third-Degree Burns- The most serious, destroying all the layers of skin and damaging underlying tissue, including nerves. In most instances of third-degree burns, there is no pain because the nerves have been destroyed. The burned area may appear white or blackened due to charring, and the underlying muscle or other tissue is exposed.

How to deal with burns after ascertaining the type:

FIRST-DEGREE BURNS
1. Immediately run cool water but never ice water over the burned area.
2. Small, mild burns may be left to heal exposed to the air. For more extensive or painful burns lightly cover with a clean cloth or bandage.
3. Burns can be extremely painful and can cause a lot of anxiety. Over-the-counter analgesics such as Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen may be given
4. DO NOT apply any salve or ointment to the wound.
5. Seek medical attention if pain lasts longer than one or two days or the burn involves the face or eyes.

MODERATE SECOND-DEGREE BURNS
1. Immerse the burned area as quickly as possible in cold water or, apply cold, wet compresses to the affected area.
2. Blot the burn area gently with a clean towel.
3. To reduce the risk of infection, try not to break any blisters Cover burned skin loosely with sterile bandages.
4. Elevate the arms or legs if they are burned.
5. Give a nonprescription analgesic to relieve pain, but DO NOT use anesthetic burn sprays, salves or ointments.
6. Call an ambulance if a very large area of the body is burned or if you see signs of breathing problems.
7. Take the child to the hospital emergency room if the burn affects the eyes or if the burn has singed nose hairs, causing breathing problems.

SEVERE THIRD-DEGREE BURNS
1. Call for emergency help.
2. Check the child's breathing and pulse, and if breathing has stopped, begin rescue breathing.
3. Gently apply a cold, wet compress to burned areas.
4. Cover the child's body lightly with sterile bandages or a clean, dry sheet. Do not tape bandages down.
5. Elevate limbs, face, or neck if they are burned.
7. If medical help takes longer than an hour to arrive. Give the child slow sips of a solution of a teaspoon of salt and a half teaspoon of baking soda in a quart of water, discontinuing if the child vomits.

Recovering from burns
The time taken for burns to heal depends on how serious they are. Most superficial burns heal within about two weeks and do not usually leave a scar. Deeper burns take longer to heal and sometimes require skin grafts. Full thickness burns tend to result in scars that can be difficult to treat. Specialist treatment by plastic surgeons in these cases is aimed at minimizing such scars.