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What to do about a burn on a child’s leg. Burn injuries in children: first aid and effective treatment methods

A burn is a type of injury that is characterized by damage to the dermis. Since in childhood the skin is very delicate and sensitive to external influences, the pain is stronger than in an adult and the likelihood of complications is much higher. Therefore, treating a child’s burn at home is only permissible for minor injuries.

The clinical picture of the injury directly depends on the factor and the degree of the body’s response. Blisters, swelling, pain appear, and in some cases shock may occur. The main goal in diagnosing burns in children is to determine the nature of the injury, the area of the damaged surface and the degree of severity; depending on this, a course of treatment is selected; the analysis must be carried out by a qualified specialist.

Burns in children and adults can be thermal, chemical, electrical and radiation. If we take into account the entire population, then the share of this injury in children accounts for 30%. Most often the age does not exceed four years. The most dangerous burn is for a newborn, since the skin of the breast is very sensitive to the slightest influence. Therefore, you must immediately contact a medical facility. Deaths reach up to four percent. In some cases, the child may remain disabled. Since the skin is very thin, a burn of even a small area requires consultation with a doctor.

Classification

Depending on the traumatic factor, the following types are distinguished:

Thermal damage. May occur as a result of contact with hot steam, boiling water, hot cookware, fire, oil, fat. Often a child gets a burn while eating. For example, hot soup, milk, water, tea, etc. Parents may also not notice how they took a bath with high temperature water, which causes damage to the skin. If you take teenagers, pyrotechnic entertainment is common among them. They become the cause of thermal burns.
Chemical. Not so popular, but found among types of skin lesions in children. Usually, parents do not hide chemicals, but at the same time, the child may accidentally spill acid or alkali on himself. It’s worse if the chemical gets inside, in which case you should immediately provide first aid to the child for a burn and quickly take him to the doctor.
Electrical. There may be faulty appliances and appliances in the house. Small children are very curious, so exposed wires and sockets cause burns. They like to stretch their hands wherever they see something attractive to them, as a result of which the child’s fingers get burned.

Radiation. In summer we like to sunbathe. Often times spent on the beach do not comply with recommendations. If an adult is slightly burned, then children develop burns. There are special means of protection that parents neglect, and do so in vain. After all, they are the ones who help avoid negative consequences.

The causes and classification of burns have a different clinical picture. The second degree of severity of injury occurs most often; it is this that is easy to obtain and damage the skin. In any case, a child’s burn is dangerous and requires prompt attention to a specialist.

Degree of damage

Since the diagnosis is carried out, the severity of the injury is determined. It all depends on the factor of damage and symptoms. There are four degrees of severity:

First. In this case, the upper layer of skin, the epidermis, is affected. There is slight peeling, burning, itching. After a week, traces of the injury disappear.
Second. Penetrates into the middle layer of the skin - the dermis. In this case, the epidermis dies, blisters, swelling, and pain appear. Recovery is slow - about two weeks. The skin becomes sensitive to various infections and contamination.
Third. The dermis is also damaged, but more deeply. Such burns leave children with scars. Healing occurs over three weeks. Necrosis (death) of tissue may occur.
Fourth. The most dangerous degree. Exposure occurs at the level of tendons, muscles, and bones. Through the cracks in the scab, you can see the depth of the damage. If a child receives such a burn, severe complications may occur. It is necessary to consult a doctor in time, otherwise an abscess will develop. In the worst case, thrombosis occurs, organs are affected and death occurs. Therefore, if your baby is severely burned, call an ambulance. Only a doctor will tell you the whole picture, the nature of the injury and prescribe adequate treatment.

Regardless of the degree, it is important to provide first aid for children with burns before visiting the hospital or the arrival of a team of doctors. This way you can avoid complications and, in addition, relieve painful discomfort.

Emergency measures for thermal injury of a child

Damage to the upper or lower extremities often occurs, this is due to the fact that they perform a tactile function. It is important to be careful and explain to your child the rules of behavior at home, but they do not always listen and it is quite difficult to avoid accidents.

If a child has a burn, then it is necessary to provide first aid to the little patient:

Drug therapy

In each episode, the trauma presents a different picture. The first minutes there is severe pain. Then the condition of the skin changes, blisters form, and redness increases. In order to correctly determine what to apply to a burn at home, a child should contact a pediatrician. Therapy depends on the severity of the disease; medications are prescribed based on symptoms, chronic pathologies and the general health of the patient.

What to apply to a burn in children should be intended for the treatment of a patient exactly his age. There are ointments, gels, creams, aerosols. Each drug has instructions that indicate the age of the patient for whom it is intended to treat. What to anoint a child’s burn depends on your preference and the injury. If the surface of the body is not deeply damaged, then a gel form is suitable; it soothes the skin and relieves pain. Creams are often prescribed after an injury; they soften the surface and prevent dryness. Aerosols are also used as an effective remedy for burns in children; they form foam and easily relieve inflammation. They are also very convenient to use, because you just need to press the dispenser.

Any parent should know what to apply to a child’s burn at home. In addition, you should not miss the moment when you need to seek medical help.

Treatment of burns in children should be accompanied by a visit to a doctor. This way you can avoid complications and prevent damage to internal organs.

How to treat a child's burn

This type of injury is becoming popular from year to year. The percentage of fatalities is second only to car accidents. Therefore, it is necessary to know how to treat a child’s burn first in order to prevent complications. After all, you need to slow down the process of tissue destruction and relieve pain.

In case of an injury of 2-3 degrees of severity, only a doctor should prescribe how to treat a child’s burn. The affected area is protected with a napkin or gauze and pre-treated with ointment or gel.

However, if a baby has a burn, it is important to be careful when choosing a medication; their skin is very thin and sensitive to various drugs. Panthenol or Bepanten is often used. It is best to prevent your baby from getting burned, but if this happens, see a doctor as soon as possible.

Panthenol is a drug that accelerates tissue healing, relieves inflammation, reduces redness and pain. Absolutely safe for treatment of children of any age.
Bepanten Plus - has similar properties to Panthenol, however, thanks to Chlorhexidine, which is included in the composition, it also has antiseptic properties that are necessary for wounds and blisters.
Olazol is a complex action drug that anesthetizes, disinfects and restores tissue.
Levomekol is an ointment with antibacterial characteristics that also effectively heals the burned area.
Solcoseryl - the main effect of the ointment is regeneration of the injured area. In case of open wounds, before applying the drug, antiseptic treatment with Chlorhexidine, hydrogen peroxide, Miramistin should be carried out.

Precautions

Parents worry about their child and strive to completely protect him; they need to protect them as much as possible from such negative consequences. This is done to prevent burns in children. It is reflected in conducting conversations and creating safe conditions both at home and on the street. It is important to close cabinets tightly and store household chemicals out of reach of children. When going to the beach, take protective equipment with you.

All types of burns, regardless of how they are received, are considered injuries. It is best to avoid such cases. Parents need to know how to provide first aid to their children for burns, and for injuries of more than the first degree of severity, they should definitely consult a doctor.

A child gets burned often; sometimes it is enough for parents to be distracted for a few minutes. The frequency of such lesions is 30% of the total number of patients who consulted a specialist. Most of them are children under 3 years old. The importance of the problem is confirmed by statistics, since the mortality rate due to burns in children is 2-4%. And 35% of the total number of victims remain disabled for life.

Varieties

Methods of providing assistance directly depend on the cause of the burn, that is, on the type of damaging factor.

Thermal

In this case, the injury is provoked by high temperature. Very often, a child’s delicate skin is exposed to boiling water, steam, fire, a hot iron (or other metal object), or melted fat.

At an early age, babies are often doused with boiling water, milk, soup, or hot tea. Damage may occur due to the fault of adults who do not monitor the temperature of the water in the bath.

During their school years, children are injured as a result of prohibited play with flammable substances or fireworks.

Chemical

Chemical burns are less common. It usually appears when household chemicals are available to children. Children can spill an alkaline or acidic solution on their body or inhale aerosol vapors. When a caustic substance is ingested, a child develops a burn to the mouth and upper respiratory tract.

Solar and electric

Appear as a result of exposure to direct sunlight. Electrical shock to the skin occurs due to malfunctioning household appliances, contact with an exposed wire, or due to “exploring” the outlet.

Degree of injury

All types of childhood burns are divided into 4 degrees:

First aid

The prognosis for the further development of the disease directly depends on the correctness of first aid. There is a specific algorithm for this:

When to see a doctor

Since a small child, especially an infant, has very thin and delicate skin, and his regulatory mechanisms are not yet perfect, in almost any case, in case of a burn, you should consult a doctor. It is mandatory that the victim be admitted to hospital and observed by specialists in the following cases:

when the baby is less than one year old - for any degree of damage;
any age, if more than 2% of the total body area is affected;
location of burns on the face, neck, eyes and genitals;
chemical, electrical and radiation injuries.

Burns of a small area (no more than 2%) of thermal origin of the first and second degree can be treated at home. But at the same time, the child must be under medical supervision.

Treatment

Therapy is aimed at preventing further tissue destruction, reducing inflammation activity, and restoring the skin. You should act quickly to prevent the spread of the inflammatory process and tissue necrosis. It is important to reduce the symptomatic manifestations of injury in young children (intoxication, temperature, pain).

It is necessary to treat a deep burn using surgery with skin grafting and subsequent plastic surgery.

Drugs

Pharmacy products help prevent infection. In the area of violation, antiseptic solutions (Chlorhexidine, Miramistin) are used for this purpose. After this, an ointment with an antimicrobial effect (Levomekol, Sintomycin) is applied.

For burns, special antiseptic dressings are often used. They are convenient because they do not dry to the wound surface and are easy to apply and remove. Procelan ointment is used for pain relief. And after an acute period, Bepanten or Dexpanthenol (with the active substance dexpanthenol) can speed up healing.

NSAIDs (Paracetamol, Ibuprofen) are taken orally at high temperatures; they are also used to relieve pain. Antihistamines (Diazolin, Loratadine) will help relieve itching and inflammation.

Folk remedies

After visiting a doctor, minor burn injuries can be treated at home.

The area of redness (if no blistering occurs) should be anointed with sea buckthorn oil several times a day. It will help eliminate all symptoms and speed up tissue regeneration.
There is another method when using aloe juice. A fresh leaf of the plant should be cut, and then lubricate the wound or burnt finger with juice. You can apply a piece of aloe with the fleshy part to the skin and leave for one hour. Repeat twice a day.
If you are not allergic to bee products, take raw potatoes (medium-sized tubers) in grated form and honey (one teaspoon). Apply the resulting mixture as a compress and hold for 20 minutes. It is recommended to repeat 2 times a day until complete recovery.

Alternative treatment should be used together with medications. If you are injured with extensive blisters, if they open or the wound becomes suppurated, you should immediately go to the hospital and see a doctor.

Before applying any healing agent to a burn, it is necessary to carefully analyze the child’s condition, and this can only be done by a specialist.

Possible consequences and complications

The most serious complication of a burn in children is the development of burn disease. It takes place in several stages:

Against the background of inflammatory and intoxication processes, secondary diseases may occur:

myocarditis;
hepatitis;
erosive gastritis;
nephritis;
anemia.

The last stage of burn disease is often accompanied by lymphadenitis, pneumonia, stomatitis with the formation of ulcerations in the oral cavity. In especially severe cases, burn sepsis and exhaustion begin.

God forbid you see your child suffer, having received a severe burn due to your carelessness... But - alas! “It is precisely because of this that our children continue to suffer and even die. After all, burns from boiling water come in varying degrees.

How to properly provide assistance if a child spills boiling water on himself? You will find answers to these and other pressing questions in our article.

1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th degree burns from boiling water in a child and their signs

The child suffered from boiling water, steam or hot liquid... This type is considered in medical practice to be the most common household type of thermal burn, because children are often scalded by boiling water. Second on the list is oil.

Degrees of burns from boiling water

Knowing what degree of burn your child has is extremely important. After all, a prompt response will prevent infection from entering the wound and minimize possible complications.

Knowing the degree of burn from boiling water in a child will help:

Provide timely and competent first aid.
To quickly and efficiently alleviate the condition of a little person.
Save the life of a tiny victim.

You need to know that when contacted with liquid heated to 100 degrees, the dermis quickly and strongly turns red, etc.

Exists . When assistance is provided correctly and treatment is prescribed, in the first and second stages the problem is solved by taking simple measures. But, starting from the 3rd, doctors are sometimes forced to take serious steps, including skin transplant operations.

BY THE WAY: Having received a 3rd or 4th degree burn with boiling water, the baby suffers greatly from pain (even shock) and may even lose consciousness.

Video: Burn with boiling water - providing assistance

How to find out what degree of burn a child has?

Let's take a closer look at the characteristics of each group.

Here are the characteristic signs:

I degree (the mildest form) – reddened (sometimes swollen) skin hurts, but this kind of lesion does not require special treatment and leaves almost no marks.
II degree- this is a more serious lesion in which the reddened skin is painful, the layer under the epidermis is damaged, and thin-walled blisters with serous fluid appear at the site of injury, through which any infection can penetrate; It can be treated for up to two weeks and goes away with proper treatment without scars.
III degrees (A and B) – a rare type of boiling water injury that requires urgent hospitalization; The lesions are characterized by blisters on the skin, but with thick walls and fluid containing blood, as well as inflammation and suppuration; the open dark red wound at the site of the burst blisters is deep, the nerve endings are affected; often ; After treatment, noticeable scars remain.
IV degree– almost one hundred percent damage to tissues and nerve cells; with prolonged exposure to boiling water on the dermis, the victim is in a state of shock, his skin becomes blackened, peeling and thinning.

ATTENTION: The depth of the wounds depends on the temperature of the liquid with which the child was scalded, on the time of its exposure and the state to which the deep layers of the dermis were heated.

What to do if a child is burned by boiling water - first aid at home

So, the child was scalded by boiling water. The main thing is to react competently, even if you are under severe stress, panic is the main enemy now.

Video: First aid for burns with boiling water

What to do?

Before contacting doctors, first determine the extent of the lesion; if it is mild, carefully remove clothing.

Next, do this:

1st degree– pour cold running water over the affected area; then apply a numbing spray and cover with a sterile dressing.
2nd degree– 10 minutes after cooling the affected skin with water (just make sure it doesn’t get on the blisters!) the pain will subside, and you can apply a damp antiseptic gauze bandage; and in case of severe pain, it is better to give an anesthetic; after first aid is provided, an ambulance is called (and it is better to do this in parallel if there is someone nearby).
3rd degree– urgently call an ambulance and act, but more carefully and attentively, i.e. first, a sterile wet bandage is placed on the burn site, and then cold water is poured onto it; Give your baby more food so that toxins are removed from the body more quickly.
4th degree– you should also urgently call an ambulance and constantly distract the child by talking to him, because he may lose consciousness; Clothes cannot be removed from the affected skin; this will be done by specialists who will save the baby’s life.

What not to do if a child is burned by boiling water - common first aid mistakes

Having seen that a child has received a severe burn from boiling water, you must act correctly so as not to cause irreparable harm to the baby through your actions.

What to apply to burns, and what methods should not be used?

Under no circumstances should you lubricate your baby’s tender skin, burned with boiling water, with iodine, brilliant green, or alcohol!
Be careful with sea buckthorn oil - yes, it helps heal scars, but it should not be applied immediately after a burn.
Do not puncture or open the blisters themselves, as... This method will provide an easy path for infection.
Yes, for mild burns, clothing should be removed or cut off with scissors. But under no circumstances rip it off if it is stuck to the body - you need to carefully cut it off where possible.
You can wash the wound with clean water, but you cannot lubricate it with kefir, sour cream and similar products - they will further damage the skin and develop an infection in it.
Do not ice the wound.
Do not apply cotton wool to the burn or cover it with a band-aid.

IMPORTANT: If you burn your arm or leg with boiling water, elevate the limb, then the swelling and pain will decrease.

A child is scalded by boiling water - in what cases should you immediately consult a doctor?

Alas, it happened.

Contact your doctor if:

The area of damage is larger than a child's palm.
A baby under one year old was injured.
Burns from boiling water affect the skin on the face, neck or head.
A child scalded his genitals or breasts (girls) with boiling water.
, eyes, knee and elbow bends.
Received 3rd and 4th degree burns.
The blisters have burst and the wound may have become infected.

PLEASE NOTE: If your eyes are affected, rinse them with cold water and cover each with a soft, damp bandage.

Treatment of burns with boiling water in a child at home - effective pharmacy and folk remedies

Yes, the big trouble was over, and there was no need for hospitalization. How to treat burns at home, how to soothe this terrible pain - and prevent infection from getting to the wound?

The first thing to remember: 3rd and 4th degree burns cannot be treated at home- This is done only under the supervision of a doctor. Only mild burns are treated at home, and then only on the doctor's recommendation.

Effective pharmaceutical products for the treatment of burns with boiling water in children

So, the wound hurts, blisters burst one after another, the burn site “gets wet” and secretes ichor.

Don’t let the wound fester, start restoring damaged tissue:

Very popular among doctors and patients panthenol ointment(or gel).
Helps well, accelerating healing and protecting against bacteria, and sulfargin ointment.
Doctors often prescribe ointments with a bactericidal effect levomekol and streptomycin, and antiseptics such as chlorhexidine or Dimexide.
Treats blisters Olazol in the form of an aerosol.
Perfectly heals wounds when ground into dust. penicillin tablet.

The best folk remedies for burns with boiling water

Sea buckthorn oil, because heals wounds well, has an anti-inflammatory and restorative effect.
Aloe juice works almost the same. The cut and washed leaf is divided into 2 flat parts with a knife - placed cut side down in a gauze bandage and placed on the wound for 30-60 minutes.
Raw potatoes– Add honey to mashed potatoes. One of them promotes healing, and the second improves circulation and acts as an antiseptic. After placing such a compress on the wound, it is washed off after a quarter of an hour.
Do you have experience using it to treat burns? dolphin fat, flour, egg white, beets etc.

But all this must be done and used only in consultation with a doctor!

There is nothing worse when a child’s health is at risk. Unfortunately, children often explore the world in ways that are dangerous to them. Be careful and take all necessary precautions. But if suddenly a disaster occurs, then this article will help protect the child from burns.

Steps

Emergency Actions

Take your child away from a dangerous place. If a child is on fire, cover him with a blanket or jacket and help him turn over to knock out the flames. Remove any smoldering clothing. Stay calm, panic can be contagious.

Call an ambulance if necessary. If the burn area is larger than 7-8cm or appears charred or white, call an ambulance. If the burn was caused by fire, electricity, or a chemical, call an ambulance and report the incident, or go to an emergency room or the nearest hospital. If your burn shows signs of infection, including swelling, pus, or increasing redness, you should see a doctor as soon as possible. You should also see a doctor if the burn is in an area where the skin is sensitive, such as the face, scalp, arms, joints, or genital area.

Call an ambulance or see a doctor if your child has any difficulty breathing or if your child seems very lethargic after a burn.
After you have called an ambulance, you can begin treatment while waiting for medical workers to arrive.

Place the burn area under cool water. The water should be cool, but not cold. Keep the burned area under water for about 15 minutes. Do not apply ice or use any gels other than aloe vera gel. Do not break any bubbles that form.

Apply aloe vera gel to the burn area. After cleaning the burn and before covering it, you can apply aloe gel to promote healing. You can then reapply the gel a few more times if you remove the bandage.

Cover the burn area. Blot the burn area until it is dry. To protect the burn site from further damage, do not bandage it too tightly: use a special adhesive plaster or a sterile bandage for this.

Give your child a pain reliever. Give your child a pain reliever such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Follow the directions on the bottle or ask your doctor to find out how much of the drug you should give. Avoid giving ibuprofen to a child younger than 6 months.

Ask your doctor about protective wound care. Doctors often prescribe special silicone pads, clothing, or inserts. All these remedies do not promote rapid healing of the wound, but can protect the burn area from damage. In addition, they prevent the child from scratching the wound, which can cause scarring.

Give your child pain relievers if needed. Give your child the correct dose of acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Follow the directions on the bottle or ask your doctor to find out how much of the drug you should give. Do not give ibuprofen to a child younger than 6 months.
- It can be difficult to distinguish when a baby has pain from the burn site and when something else is bothering him. Signs of pain at the burn site include loud screams at a higher pitch than usual. When a child is in pain, he may grimace, wrinkle his forehead, or squint his eyes. He may refuse to eat and sleep, even if it is already time for sleep or feeding (meal).
Follow your doctor's instructions for home care. If your child has a second or third degree burn, your doctor will tell you how to care for the burn, how often the dressing needs to be changed, special creams or ointments applied, and what other treatments are needed. Follow these directions, and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to call your doctor. Also remember to come to your appointment at the time prescribed by your doctor.

Massage scar tissue with moisturizer. If your child has scars after the burn has healed, you can treat them by regularly massaging the scar tissue. Gently rub in moisturizing lotion or cream, moving your hands down and up in a circular motion.
- Wait until the burn has completely healed before massaging. Massage should be done several times a day for several weeks.

Prevent future burns

Install smoke detectors. To prevent burns from coming into contact with flames in a fire, make sure you have smoke detectors installed in your home. If there are no sensors, install them in all areas of the apartment, including the living room, bedroom and kitchen. Check your sensors monthly to ensure they are working and change their batteries at least once a year.

Do not smoke indoors. To prevent fire, do not smoke indoors. Smoke outside or stop smoking altogether.

Reduce the water temperature in the water heater to 49°C. Hot water burns are the most common type of burn among children. If you use a water heater, set it to 49°C or lower to be safer for your baby.

Don't leave food unattended on the stove. If your child is playing in the kitchen, do not leave him unattended, especially if you are using the stove. Make sure your child plays outside the kitchen or keep him away from the stove.

Burns in children (even minor ones) require mandatory parental intervention. After all, how quickly and competently first aid is provided determines whether the consequences of such an injury will occur and how destructive they will be.

Unfortunately, even in our age, when information is easily “obtained,” many parents are still convinced that in case of a burn, the child should be smeared with baby cream or sour cream. You will learn about what first aid should be for a child at home by reading this article.

Algorithm of actions

There are no childhood burns in nature that would not require emergency assistance at all. Since these injuries are very common in childhood and children usually receive them at home, it is simply necessary to know the rules of first aid. If a baby is burned, the algorithm of action should be clear and strict.

Assessment of the condition and extent of injury

First you need to understand how large and deep the burn is. Determining the degree of damage is not so difficult; parents do not have to be medical professionals to do this.

There are four stages of such lesions:

With the first, only the surface of the skin is affected. This manifests itself as redness and slight swelling.
In the second case, swelling and redness are complemented by the rapid formation of papules and vesicles. Bubbles and blisters are usually filled with clear or cloudy serous fluid.

The third degree is characterized by deeper lesions. With degree 3A, the outer and partially middle layers of the skin are burned. The wound appears dark and scabby. At grade 3B, subcutaneous tissue is visible from the blackened wound - the only thing that has survived. At this stage, the child no longer feels pain because pain receptors and nerve endings are damaged.

The fourth degree is the death of all layers of skin, as well as darkening (and sometimes even charring) of bones. There is no pain, but there is a high probability of developing a burn disease and shock, which are life-threatening.

The area of the lesion also matters. It is clear that in an emergency situation none of the parents will measure it with a ruler; for this, doctors have a “universal cheat sheet”. Each body part is approximately 9%. The exception is the genitals and perineum - this is 1%, the butt is 18%. However, in small children the proportions are different - their head and neck make up 21% of their body area.

If a child’s arms and stomach are damaged, this is 27% of the body, if only half of the arm is 4.5%, and if the head and stomach are damaged, then this is already 30%, and if the butt and legs are 36%.

If the burn is minor (stage 1-2), then an ambulance should be called if 10-15% of the body is affected. If the burn is 3-4 degrees, then more than 5% of the body is affected.

Allowed actions

After assessing the condition and calling an ambulance, parents should take care to cool the injury site. For this purpose, do not use ice; it is permissible to rinse the burn with running cool water - if the skin is not damaged, there are no ulcers or wounds. Then you can apply a diaper or sheet moistened with cool water to the damaged area.

If there is an open wound, you cannot wash it; you just need to cover the damaged area with a moistened cotton or linen cloth, lay the child down and wait for the ambulance to arrive.

Prohibited actions

First aid should not harm the baby, so you should not put anything on the burn. Fatty substances are especially dangerous - baby cream, ointments, sour cream and butter:

You can't anesthetize a child, since this will complicate medical diagnosis, because with degrees 3 and 4 of damage, the baby does not feel pain, and this is a diagnostic sign. If they tried to numb a 2-3 degree burn for the baby, the doctor may make a mistake with the diagnosis.

You cannot apply bandages, tourniquets, or transport a child yourself., since at home it is impossible to assess all the risks, and the baby may have associated injuries - fractures, dislocations.
You should not try to treat the wound yourself, remove foreign objects from it, remove crusts or scabs. This increases the risk of infection, bleeding and shock.

Providing first aid

Damaged by boiling water

More often, such thermal burns are extensive in area, but not very deep. Usually everything is limited to stage 1-2. If your baby is burned by boiling water, you need to remove his wet clothes and cool the affected areas with cool water. In the first stage (if there is only redness and no other skin changes), you can numb the burn site; for this, it is allowed to use a spray with an anesthetic effect - for example, remedy with lidocaine.

If the area is large (about 15%), you need to call a doctor; before his arrival, you are allowed to give the child only an antipyretic, if the temperature rises - “ Paracetamol" or " Ibuprofen».

Damaged by hot oil

Burns from oil are always much deeper than burns from hot water. This is due to the different boiling point of oils. Typically such injuries range from grade two to grade four. The most difficult thing in an emergency response to such an injury at home is removing the oil from the skin, and this needs to be done as quickly as possible.

To do this, do not wipe the affected area. You need to place the skin under water at approximately room temperature and rinse for a long time (at least 15-25 minutes) - without using soap. After this, you should call an ambulance if the degree is more than 2 and the affected area is more than 5%. It is worth resisting the temptation to lubricate the burn with something and give the child painkillers.

Under no circumstances should you use the popular advice: sprinkle salt on the burn. This can lead to very sad consequences.

If damaged by steam

Steam burns always have an impressive area, but small depth. The injured area should be cooled if the skin is intact. If necessary, you can use a spray with an anesthetic effect. If the burn is significant in size, you should call an ambulance and give the child antihistamines (“ Suprastin" or " Loratadine"), this will help reduce swelling.

In case of respiratory tract damage

If a child receives a burn to the respiratory tract (for example, when inhaling steam during an incorrect inhalation), then, as a rule, such an injury is accompanied by burns to the face. Burns to the respiratory tract can also occur when volatile chemicals are inhaled.

First, you will need to provide access to fresh air - open all windows and vents, take the child to the balcony or outside. If the child is conscious, he should be seated in a reclining position. If the child is unconscious, he is placed on his side so that the head and shoulders are higher than the rest of the body.

If spontaneous breathing occurs, no other measures are needed. If breathing is difficult, you should give your child antihistamine in age dosage, this will help avoid the development of severe internal swelling of the respiratory system. If there is no breathing, artificial respiration should be performed before the doctor arrives.

In case of chemical damage

If chemicals only come into contact with the skin, parents should thoroughly rinse the affected area with running water. It is very important that the water temperature is not high - hot water only enhances the destructive effect of certain substances and compounds. You should immediately remove all things from the child; drops of the chemical may remain on them.

After thorough washing with water, an “antidote” should be prepared. If it is an acid, then you need to rinse the skin with a solution of the most common soda in a concentration of 2% ( a little more than two glasses of liquid and a teaspoon of soda), the alkaline burn is rinsed with a very weak acidic solution (suitable vinegar or lemon juice).

The arrival of an ambulance for such injuries is a prerequisite. Most chemical burns in children are severe. If a child is burned with acid, the dry scab crust that forms on the surface almost immediately must not be removed.

An alkaline burn is usually more severe and deep, with it the wound remains weeping and there is no dry crust. Do not apply bandages or ointments to the damaged area.

If damaged by an iron or other hot objects

The traumatic impact should be eliminated as soon as possible and the iron should be removed. Rinse with cool water for at least 15 minutes, after which a damp cloth should be applied to the burn area. If the skin is not broken, you can apply foam “ Panthenol».

The difficulty is that when trying to remove the iron from the burn site, the tissue is often injured and peeled off. In this case, there is no need to apply anything to the burn. In case of a 2-3 degree injury, the child is called to the emergency team; in case of a milder injury, the child is allowed to go to the hospital on his own. If the pain is severe, you can relieve the condition with painkiller sprays.

For sunburn

Providing emergency care begins with placing the child in the shade or bringing him indoors. You should undress him as much as possible, cool the skin with cool water, it is better to apply a damp sheet or diaper to it.

It is important to ensure you drink plenty of fluids. An ambulance should be called if the burns are visually 2-3 degrees, if the child is small (in this case - even with 1-2 degrees), and also if the baby shows signs of heat stroke with clouding of consciousness.

You can’t smear anything with fatty cream or sour cream; if necessary, you can use foam “ Penthenol" For high fever, your child can be given antipyretic drugs " Nurofen" or " Paracetamol" They have a slight analgesic effect.

Treatment

Treatment of minor burns can be carried out at home; during therapy, you will need to take into account all the doctor’s prescriptions. It is better to treat more serious injuries in a hospital setting. There are possibilities for qualified wound treatment with preliminary complete anesthesia.

If necessary, the child will be prescribed antibiotics, antiseptics, and intravenous infusions of nutrient solutions that will help the body replenish the loss of fluids. In severe cases, surgical intervention is indicated, as well as long-term rehabilitation.

Correctly provided first aid helps doctors immediately begin the second (main) stage of therapy. Parental mistakes in providing pre-medical care can significantly complicate both the diagnosis and the treatment process. The consequences of illiterate care are scars, heart and kidney problems, amputation.

What is a chemical burn and what are its symptoms? What help can you provide on your own, and in what cases can you not do without a doctor? Dr. Komarovsky will answer all questions.