Instructions for first aid for thermal burns in children

Step 1: Eliminate contact with the burn agent as soon as possible

Quickly remove the child from the source of the burn: Remove from hot tub, boiling water, hot iron... Remove clothing soaked in boiling water.

With fire burns: Quickly take the victim out of the place of fire, extinguish the fire on the victim, remove the burned clothes, cover the person with a blanket to put out the fire...

- If children are burning clothes, calmly instruct them to:

+ Stop (do not run because it makes the fire stronger).

+ Lie on the ground, roll a few times or crawl on the ground out of the fire (pictured). Also call an adult for help.

- If children are burned by a fire in a closed room, rescuers need to follow the principles of fire prevention and have protective equipment.

+ The rescuer can wear wet clothes, cover his hair, and wear a wet mask. Then, use available means such as blankets, wet cloths to extinguish the fire.

Step 2: Quickly examine the victim, promptly assess and perform whole-body emergency such as/when there is respiratory arrest, circulatory failure, respiratory failure, accompanying trauma...

*. It should be noted that this condition is common in children with burns caused by fires in closed rooms due to airway burns, CO and CO2 poisoning.

Step 3: Conduct first aid after burns

* Quickly soak the burned body area in clean water (this is a simple, effective measure that can be done anywhere.

- What is the effect of washing with clean water?

+ Dilute, wash away the burning agent still clinging to the skin.

+ Reduce the temperature on the skin quickly, thereby reducing the depth of the burn.

+ Pain relief: Children reduce the burning pain of the burn area as soon as they soak in cool water, contributing to the reduction of systemic disorders, especially the excited state of screaming...

+ Reduce swelling, thus reducing exudation through the wound

*Note: Soaking in cold water also increases heat loss. Warming is difficult. Wet clothing or wet bandages increase heat loss. Therefore, water irrigation should be strictly controlled when the burn area is larger than 10% of the body area (DTCT), especially in young children, and conducted in winter.

* When do you soak after a burn?

Time to soak with cool water as soon as possible, preferably within 30 minutes after the burn. After the above period, soaking has little effect.

* How can water soak a burn?

The requirement is clean water, the standard water temperature is between 16 - 20 degrees Celsius. However, because it is an emergency, it is necessary to make use of the available water at the accident site. Choose clean water sources if available such as boiled water to cool, tap water, rain water, well water...

+ Do not use ice to contaminate the victim.

+ Do not use warm water, with a higher temperature (less cooling effect, pain relief).

How can water soak a burn?

The requirement is clean water, the standard water temperature is from 16 - 20 degrees Celsius.

However, because it is an emergency, it is necessary to make use of the available water at the accident site. Choose clean water sources if available such as boiled water to cool, tap water, rain water, well water...

Do not use ice to contaminate the victim.

Do not use warm water, which has a higher temperature (less cooling effect, pain relief).

* Soak the burn how?

You can soak the burned part under running water or soak it in a basin of cool water or apply a wet towel, continuously flushing clean water over the burned area.

Incorporate quickly undressing tight clothing, rings or watches in the burn area. Just soak the burn area and cut off the burned clothing, wash away the foreign body or burning agent still clinging to the burn.

Soaking time is from 15 - 30 - 45 minutes (usually until the pain is gone).

Do not break, slide the dome of the bulge.

Keep the body warm without burning, especially in winter.

Especially for children, when the weather is cold, it is advisable to shorten the soaking time to prevent cold infection.

* Temporarily covering the burn

Proceed to cover the burn area with clean materials such as medical gauze, even face towels, handkerchiefs, clean cloths... to cover them.

Then, gently compress the burn with a clean bandage. Lightly compress the burn to limit the formation of blisters and reduce swelling of the burned limb. The compression bandage should be carried out soon, to avoid the bandage being too tight, causing compression of the burn area.

For burns to the face and genital area, just cover with a layer of gauze.

Do not apply any substance to the burned area until it has been thoroughly cleaned and without the guidance of a medical professional.

* Warming children, rehydrating water and salt after burns:

Burns cause loss of water and salt, so after burns need to replace lost water and salt for children in simple ways.

Give the child oresol water if he is not vomiting, is not bloated, and is awake. One pack of oresol mixed with 1 liter of water, drink as needed during the day. Can be given warm sugar tea, diluted porridge, fruit juice...

If the baby is still nursing: Continue to breastfeed normally.

Step 4: Quickly transfer the victim to the nearest medical facility for care. Children should not be kept at home for self-treatment or taken to medical facilities that lack knowledge about burns, especially knowledge of the depth of burns.

Especially when the child has the following signs: Burn area is larger than/equal to 2 hands of the body. Burns with trauma. Burns to the head, face, neck, hands, feet, genitals. Drowsiness, confusion. High fever, convulsions, cold limbs. Stop sucking, shortness of breath, cyanosis, little urine, abdominal distension.

The most important thing to know when giving first aid to heat burns

1. On-site treatment:

Immediately after being burned, it is necessary to quickly do:

- Exclude contact with the cause of the burn.

- Soak in clean water as soon as possible.

- Cover the burn area with a clean bandage. Do not apply any medication to the burned area until it has been cleaned.

2. Need to keep the baby warm

3. Burns are painful, lose a lot of salt and water. If the child does not vomit and is not bloated, it is necessary to replace the lost water by drinking oresol, warm sugar tea, diluted porridge, breast milk.

4. Take the child to the nearest medical facility.

Things not to do when giving first aid to burns

1. Make the child too cold when soaking the burn in clean water, covering the burn with ice or soaking the burn with warm water.

2. Apply ointments, oils, fish sauce, soy sauce or any other substances without the opinion of medical staff.

3. Erosion of burns, peel off the dome of the blister.
4. It is wrong to think that soaking the burn with clean water causes blistering.