How to treat burns in children

All young children actively explore the world around them. And even parental prohibitions cannot always protect curious children from quite dangerous research. As a result, babies can experience a variety of injuries. One of the extremely unpleasant moments is a burn in a child. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to protect the baby from this injury. Therefore, parents should know how to provide first aid to the baby.

Types of burns

The fearlessness and curiosity of little researchers is simply amazing. The kids are not afraid of fire. They are attracted to electrical outlets and admire beautiful bottles of chemicals. According to doctors, a child’s burn is one of the most common reasons for which parents go to medical institutions. And most often these are injuries received in domestic conditions.

Burns can be:

1. Thermal. These are injuries caused by exposure to high temperatures.
2. Chemical. They are caused by various household chemicals.
3. Sunny. The result of prolonged exposure to scorching rays.
4. Electric. Injuries resulting from improper use of household appliances or “exploration” of sockets.

In any of these cases, the child needs to quickly and competently provide first aid. Of course, depending on the type of injury, treatment methods will differ slightly.

Degrees of burns

There is another important criterion that should be taken into account. It is necessary to be able to determine how serious a child's burn is. Indeed, in difficult situations, the baby immediately needs qualified medical assistance.

There are 4 degrees of burns in children:

1. Only the superficial layers are affected. The damaged area turns red and swells. The child complains of pain and a burning sensation in this area.
2. Such injuries are characterized by a large depth of damage. They cover not only the surface layer, but also subcutaneous tissue. The child experiences severe pain that lasts for quite a long time. The second degree is characterized by the formation of thin-walled bubbles filled with liquid.
3. The lesion covers superficial and deep skin tissues. 3rd degree burns are divided into types: A and B. The first type is characterized by the formation of thick-walled blisters and scabs. However, healthy epithelial cells, hair follicles and secretory glands are preserved. Due to them, tissue regeneration occurs. Grade B is characterized by severe damage. Purulent inflammation and tissue necrosis may occur. A burn is a wet, open wound. It leaves a scar behind.
4. This is the most severe degree. It is characterized by charring and the formation of black scabs.

Only grade 1 and 2 injuries can be treated at home. Injuries of degrees 3 and 4 require the patient to remain in the hospital.

Thermal burn

Kids love to be near their mother in the kitchen. But it is here that many dangers await them. Little explorers simply do not understand that there is boiling water in the cup and may reach for it. They don’t think that there is a hot pan on the stove, and they stretch their fingers towards it.

As a result, the delicate baby skin is damaged. A child's burn from boiling water is the most common household injury. It is significantly aggravated by the presence of clothing. Things quickly absorb hot liquid and significantly worsen the consequences of injury.

Sometimes a burn from a hot metal object (touching a hot pan or iron) may occur. Such injuries are rarely deep. They almost never cover a large area. After all, the child’s self-preservation instinct is triggered, and he abruptly removes his hand from the hot object.

First aid

Parents should know if, as a result of careless actions, a child still gets a burn, what to do in this situation.

First aid consists of the following activities:

1. It is necessary to remove hot wet clothes from the baby as quickly as possible. After all, it continues to burn the skin. You should act especially quickly if things are synthetic. It is necessary to remove clothes very carefully so as not to damage the coverings on which blisters could appear and not to cause the baby even more discomfort. It is best to cut things and remove them immediately before they stick to the skin. If clothing is stuck to the body, do not open the fabric under any circumstances.
2. To relieve the burning sensation and reduce the temperature, you need to pour cold water on the damaged area. Continue cooling the burn for 10-15 minutes. It is strictly forbidden to use ice. This will significantly worsen the injury.
3. Do not lubricate the wound with greasy ointments or oil. Such actions help maintain high temperature at the burn site. As a result, the damage will significantly spread in breadth and depth.
4. Apply a gauze bandage to the burn site, after wetting it with cold water. A soda solution will ease the child's suffering. For 1 glass of water – 1 tsp. soda Periodically, the drying bandage should be watered with cold water. If you don't have gauze on hand, you can use a germicidal patch to protect the wound from infection.
5. When helping a child with a burn, an aerosol can be applied to the damaged area (after exposure to cold water): “Panthenol”, “Levisol”, “Levian”.
6. Special gel wipes have proven themselves to be excellent. They are most often used for 2nd degree burns.
7. It is strictly forbidden to open blisters that appear. They protect the damaged area from germs and prevent fluid loss.
8. Do not treat the affected area with iodine or similar antiseptics.
9. Even with minor burns, it is recommended to give the child a painkiller (Panadol medicine) and an antihistamine (Diphenhydramine, Claritin, Suprastin, Pipolfen).

Be sure to show your child to the doctor! For 3rd and 4th degree burns, contact a specialist should be made immediately. In case of such lesions, you should immediately call an ambulance.

Sunburn

This is another fairly common injury. Children's skin is very delicate. She can burn quickly. Sometimes spending half an hour on the beach is enough for a child to develop a sunburn. Such damage is extremely unpleasant and dangerous. After all, it is impossible to determine this injury by touch or by eye. As a rule, a sunburn appears on the skin after a few hours.

That is why it is necessary to protect the child from the sun's rays in the first days of being on the beach. It is recommended to use special creams or lotions to protect children's skin. However, you should not rely on them completely.

What to do?

If you observe a sunburn in a child, then your actions should be as follows:

1. Initially, try to relieve the pain as much as possible. To do this, treat the burnt areas with Panthenol aerosol. Sour cream or kefir will provide a good effect. You can resort to strong green tea. Use a freshly brewed drink, always chilled. Using a cotton swab, apply the liquid liberally to the burnt areas. It is recommended to repeat this procedure as often as possible.
2. To reduce pain, give your child an analgesic: Panadol.

If you experience a fever or chills, contact your doctor immediately.

Chemical burn

Every home contains a wide variety of chemicals. Of course, they should be stored in places that are inaccessible to children. But if the baby obtained a prohibited bottle, then it is likely that the child may suffer a chemical burn.

Acid damage can be identified by the following symptoms:

1. Strong pain.
2. A characteristic spot forms on the skin. When exposed to sulfuric acid, it turns dark gray or black. Salt - leaves behind a gray tint. Nitric acid produces an orange or yellow stain. Carbolic or acetic acid is characterized by a greenish tint.

If a child’s burn is caused by alkali, the following symptoms appear:

1. Strong pain
2. Wet deep burn. It is covered with a light crust on top.
3. Signs of intoxication of the body are often observed: nausea, headache.

First aid

The main thing is don't panic. In addition, you need to know how to help a child with a burn.

Your actions should be as follows:

1. Call an ambulance immediately.
2. Rinse the damaged area thoroughly with cool running water. This procedure should last at least 15-20 minutes.
3. Apply a sterile dressing to the burn.
4. If you are sure that the damage is caused by an alkali, you can apply a cloth soaked in diluted vinegar (1 part vinegar to 4 parts water) or boric acid (1 tsp per 1 cup of water) to the damaged skin.
5. If it is not possible to call a team of doctors, immediately take the child to the trauma department.

Electrical burn

This is an extremely serious injury. Electrical burns involve deep tissue damage. In addition, they are fraught with serious consequences. Therefore, in case of such injuries, parents need to call an ambulance as quickly as possible.

How to help your child

With such lesions, it is very important to act correctly and quickly. What to do if an electrical burn occurs? The child (first aid must be provided immediately) must be rescued.

This consists of the following activities:

1. Eliminate current exposure. It is strictly forbidden to grab the power source with bare hands. An electrical device or wire must be thrown away using a wooden stick. The child can be pulled by the edges of the clothing.
2. If the baby does not have a heartbeat or breathing, resuscitation measures must be carried out immediately. Perform a heart massage and use artificial respiration.
3. Take the patient to the hospital immediately.

Features of injuries in a child under one year old

Burns in children are dangerous due to their serious consequences. That is why in case of such injuries it is recommended to show the baby to a doctor.

An important factor is the area of ​​the lesion. If a 1st or 2nd degree burn covers an area of ​​more than 8% (this is the size of the victim’s palm), then such injuries are assessed as severe and require an ambulance call. But these conditions apply to children older than 12 months.

The burn of a child under one year old is assessed somewhat differently. After all, in infants, the skin is much thinner and has a developed circulatory and lymphatic network. Thanks to this, the covers have greater thermal conductivity. Therefore, even a small burn can cause deep damage in a baby up to one year old. In infants, if 3-5% of the skin is damaged, it is necessary to call an ambulance.

Recommended drugs

What medications can be used after a child’s burn to relieve unpleasant symptoms? It is best to consult a doctor. A competent specialist will select the most effective means.

Most often, the following medications can help with grade 1 and 2 injuries:

1. "Panthenol". It is best to use an aerosol. It can help with any thermal burns. It is recommended for use for sun injuries. It is allowed to apply the product to the skin for cracks and abrasions.
2. "Olazol." The drug is an excellent pain reliever. It protects against the development and reproduction of microorganisms. The product accelerates healing.
3. "Solcoseryl". A gel or ointment is used to treat burn injuries. The product effectively combats thermal damage. It will be beneficial if the child is sunburned.
4. Gel anti-burn wipes. This product effectively cools the wound surface and relieves pain. The napkin ensures the destruction of germs. This tool is very convenient to use. It can be easily replaced as needed.

Folk remedies

If you don’t have any of the medications listed above at hand, what should you do? What can a child do for burns?

In this case, it is recommended to resort to traditional medicine:

1. If you are burned by boiling water, you can use raw potatoes. The tuber must be grated. The paste is placed on the affected area and covered with a bandage. Change the grated potatoes as they heat up.
2. A cabbage leaf will significantly reduce the unpleasant symptoms. A sheet is placed on the burn and tied. After a few minutes the pain decreases. And after half an hour it completely disappears.
3. A freshly cut aloe leaf will bring benefits. The skin should be removed from it. This sheet is applied to the damaged area for 12 hours.

If your child gets burned, the main thing is not to panic. Try to correctly assess the extent of the damage and, if necessary, call an ambulance. In the meantime, provide proper first aid.

Burns in children are damage to the skin as a result of exposure to chemical, thermal, electrical, and radiation factors. The skin of a one-year-old baby is thinner and more delicate than that of an adult, and has high thermal conductivity. Injuries are more difficult for children to endure. Help includes removing the damaging factor, cooling the wound, and antiseptic treatment. The limbs (arms, legs, fingers) of infants are most often burned.

Common types of burns in children

1. thermal – skin damage as a result of the harmful effects of boiling water, steam, fire;
2. chemical – damage to the skin due to contact with chemicals (usually household chemicals);
3. radiation - occur during prolonged stay on the street during solar activity hours;
4. electrical - appear as a result of improper operation of electrical equipment.

How to treat at home

The severity of treatment for a burn injury depends on the timeliness of first aid. It is urgent to eliminate the damaging factor - a source of electric current, hot steam or liquid, a chemical, ultraviolet rays. If possible, remove the affected area from clothing. The extent of the injury should be assessed; first and second degree injuries can be treated at home.

Wash a 1-2 degree burn in a child with running cool water for at least 15-20 minutes.

After cooling, apply a bandage to the damaged area with anti-burn ointment (Panthenol, Bepanten, Olazol). If the wound suppurates, treat with antiseptic, regenerating ointments as prescribed by a doctor (Levomekol, Levosil). If there is an elevated temperature, Ibufen and paracetamol are prescribed.

Traditional methods will help treat a child’s burn, reduce pain, and speed up healing.

For minor damage, you can use regular baby cream if the skin peels and peels.

In what cases is specialized help required?

1. third, fourth degree burns;
2. damage to internal organs (esophagus, tongue, ingestion of toxic liquid);
3. damage to the face, genitals, eyes, mucous membranes, regardless of degree or area;
4. the area of ​​the damaged area is more than two children's palms;
5. temperature increase;
6. wound suppuration;
7. formation of blisters (a blister can swell or burst in the absence of medication, which promotes infection).

Features of treating burns in infants

It is important to urgently call an ambulance and continue treatment in the hospital. There is a possibility of getting burn shock. Purchase the medications listed below at a pharmacy and use only on the recommendation of a doctor.

Apply the medications until the wound is completely healed. First degree lesions heal in 5-7 days, second degree – up to 14 days.

To avoid injury, parents should be attentive to young children. At home, children should not have access to chemical liquids, fire, hot objects, or electrical appliances. In order for children to get burned, it is necessary to supervise them, prohibit them from touching dangerous objects, and limit their time in the sun.

Raising a child is not easy. Especially when the mother is also responsible for housework. Children have an interesting property - as soon as their mother turns away, they immediately find adventures. Alas, not all adventures end well and are fraught with consequences. A burn in a child ranks third in childhood injuries. All they face are injuries from falling from a height and various asphyxias. We are talking about burns.

Raising a child is not easy. Especially when the mother is also responsible for housework. Children have an interesting property - as soon as their mother turns away, they immediately find adventures. Alas, not all adventures end well and are fraught with consequences. A burn in a child ranks third in childhood injuries. All they face are injuries from falling from a height and various asphyxias. We are talking about burns.

What are burns?

Burns are tissue damage caused by local exposure to high temperatures, chemicals, ionizing radiation or electric current.

Burns are divided into several categories:

1. Thermal. These are burns from flames, steam, boiling liquids, and burns after contact with hot objects.
2. Chemical. Burns resulting from exposure to household chemicals.
3. Radiation. This is a sunburn.
4. Electrical. They arise under the influence of current and lightning.

Burns are classified according to the degree of tissue damage:

1. 1st degree. Only the skin is affected. The first degree is characterized by redness of the skin, slight swelling, increased temperature at the burn site, itching, burning. Healing occurs on its own in 7-10 days, no treatment is required, and no scars remain.
2. 2nd degree. It is characterized by swelling, redness, the appearance of blisters with transparent contents, and severe pain. With the right approach to treatment, it heals within 14–21 days and leaves no scars. If treated incorrectly (especially for chemical burns), the process can deepen.
3. 3rd degree. It is characterized by swelling, the appearance of blisters with bloody contents, sensitivity is reduced or absent. Such burns are treated in a hospital. The wound heals with the formation of scars and scars.
4. 4th degree. Characterized by damage to the skin, subcutaneous fat, and muscles. The wound is deep, black, and insensitive to pain. As with third-degree burns, treatment is carried out in a hospital. After recovery, scars remain.

Features of burns in children

1. Children have thinner skin compared to adults. That’s why burns in children are deeper;
2. the child is helpless at the time of injury, does not immediately react, and is unable to help himself. Because of this, exposure to the traumatic agent may be longer, which deepens the injury;
3. Burn shock in children can occur with a smaller burn surface than in adults.

We will now discuss what to do before you see a doctor, and how first aid is provided for burns.

Chemical burn in a child

Children get chemical burns quite often. The cause is poorly cleaned household chemicals or acetic acid hidden nearby. Unfortunately, children not only douse themselves, but also drink liquid from beautiful packages.

What can cause a burn?

1. acids (sanox, adrilan, acetic acid);
2. alkalis (cleaning products, ammonia);
3. petrol;
4. potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate);
5. creams, ointments, some medications used by adults (fortunately, such burns are shallow).

The severity of a chemical burn is affected by:

1. substance concentration;
2. how long the substance was on the skin or mucous membrane;
3. amount of substance;
4. feature of the victim's skin.

Features of symptoms when exposed to various chemicals:

1. acids. A scab appears at the site of the injury, the burn spreads slowly into the depths, a dense crust forms, which prevents the wound from becoming infected;
2. alkalis. The burn quickly deepens, the surface of the wound becomes wet, and cases of wound infection are frequent.

Chemical burns in children and first aid

Help for chemical skin burns:

1. Remove or cut off clothing from the damaged area of ​​the body.
2. Rinse the wound with running water. Rinse the wound for at least 15 minutes. Water should be poured onto the burn.
3. Apply a dry aseptic bandage and seek help from a surgeon.
4. In case of severe pain, give an anesthetic drug (Ibuprofen, Paracetamol) in an age-appropriate dosage.

Chemical eye burn, first aid:

1. Rinse your eyes under running water as quickly as possible, try to open your eyes. Rinse the wound for at least 15 minutes.
2. Apply a dry aseptic dressing.
3. Consult an ophthalmologist for help.

What should you not do for chemical burns?

1. Do not wash the wound with anything other than water. Chemical reactions only aggravate and deepen burns, especially if it is a burn on the mucous membranes or eyes;
2. do not rub the wound with a cloth or immerse the victim in a bath;
3. do not wait, seek medical help as soon as possible;
4. do not treat the wound surface with antiseptics. They can also react with the damaging substance and make the situation worse.

Thermal burn in a child

Just like in adults, thermal burns can be classified according to the damaging factor:

1. boiling water burn;
2. steam burn;
3. burns upon contact with a hot surface (iron, stove, hot dishes);
4. flame burn.

Very often you see thermal burns of the legs with boiling water. Typically, these burns occur in children who cannot walk, but are already eager to explore the world, and flatly refuse to sit somewhere. And as often happens, the mother, taking the baby in her arms, begins to prepare dinner. The baby shakes his leg and falls straight into a boiling pan.

Another option is when an older child accidentally pours boiled liquid on himself.

In the second case, the burn area is larger. But most often it is not as deep as in the first case, since the liquid has time to cool.

A child gets a burn from boiling water, what should I do?

1. Any liquid tends to spread. As a result, the burn area is often quite large. Therefore, first remove the child from the source of danger as quickly as possible.
2. Remove clothing from the burned area. This will reduce the temperature at the burn site. If it is not possible to remove it, cut it off and place the wound under cold water.
3. After cooling the burn area, apply a bandage to the area. The bandage should not press, it should lie loosely.
4. If you see a 2nd degree burn on a child, there are blisters and severe pain, do not puncture the blisters.
5. Give the victim water or any drink the child likes (tea, fruit drink, juice).
6. Give your child an anesthetic in an age-appropriate dosage.
7. In cases where the burn area is more than 10%, even if it is a 1st degree burn, it is better to show it to a doctor. If a child is burned with boiling water of 2nd degree or more and the area is more than 10%, the child must be taken to a burn hospital.

Children often grab hot surfaces with their hands - stoves, irons, ovens. In case of a burn from a hot surface in a child, first aid is provided in the same way as in the case of a burn with boiling water. The only peculiarity of hot surfaces, for example, an iron, is that the child’s burn from the iron will be of a small area, but perhaps quite deep - 2-3 degrees.

Fire burn in a child

If a child catches a flame on his clothes or hair, the flame must be put out, the best option is with water. If there is no water nearby, throw a thick blanket or blanket over the victim.

Try not to cover the victim's face to avoid carbon dioxide poisoning and thermal burns of the respiratory tract.

Remove the smoldering clothing from the child as quickly as possible, cool the wound, apply a loose aseptic bandage, and take the child to the hospital by any available means.

What should not be done and what can aggravate the situation and deepen the burn?

1. Do not rub the burned area with a cloth.
2. In case of a chemical burn, do not put the victim in the bath. You need to wash the wound only by pouring water on the wound.
3. Do not apply oils, petroleum jelly, baby cream or other substances that create a protective film to fresh burns. You can apply these products to the damaged area only after the wound has completely healed.
4. Do not apply alcohol-containing solutions to burns.
5. Do not puncture the blisters, as this may cause the wound to become infected.
6. Do not apply medicinal ointments and creams immediately to a still hot burn, this can also aggravate the situation.

Burn disease

First aid was provided, and it seemed that everything would soon improve on its own, the pain would go away, the wounds would heal. For first-degree burns and second-degree burns with a small area of ​​damage, this will most likely be the case. But what can happen in case of large area and deep burns? Everything can end in burn disease.

Burn disease is a disruption of the activity of all organs and systems caused by the loss of plasma and the breakdown of protein fractions in the human body.

Burn disease in children develops when a child receives deep burns of 3-4 degrees or shallow burns of 2 degrees, but more than 10% of the area.

There are four periods of illness:

1. burn shock – develops in the first three days after a burn;
2. acute burn toxemia;
3. septicotoxemia;
4. recovery.

Treatment of burn disease is carried out only in the hospital.

Treatment of burns in children

How can you treat burns in children? I remind you once again that treatment must be prescribed by a doctor.

The most famous burn remedies for children:

1. Dermazin. Approved for use in children from 2 months. Burn cream is used to apply to the skin 1 - 2 times a day. Can be used under a bandage or on open skin. You need to change the dressing every day. The drug resists the spread of wound infection well;
2. Panthenol. Ointment for burns for children with dexpanthenol. Recommended for the treatment of 1st degree burns. Apply after cooling the burned skin.

Prevention of burns

To summarize, I would once again draw your attention to special caution when performing household duties:

1. try to keep your child away from hot household appliances;
2. do not pick up the baby when preparing dinner, especially do not hold him over a boiling pan;
3. When pouring lunch for your child, check the temperature of the dish;
4. wash your hands with your child, check the temperature of the water coming from the tap every time;
5. do not allow children to play with open fire;
6. Keep household cleaning products, medications and hazardous chemicals locked up.

Be careful and extremely careful. The health of your children depends on you.

Watch a video about burns in children.