During life-threatening emergencies, call 999, or for non-emergency medical help, call 111. If you have any other questions about first aid for someone who has a burn, visit the NHS website. No, don’t use any adhesive bandages as they’ll stick to the skin and can cause further damage.Īfter cooling, cover the burn with cling film or a clean plastic bag to help prevent infection. Even small burns can be potentially life-threatening to a baby or child, so always seek medical advice. Seek immediate medical advice if an adult has burned their face or genital area, or if you are in any doubt about how severe the burn is.īurns can be very dangerous, depending on the age of the child and the size, depth and location of the injury. If a baby or child has been burned, seek medical advice, making sure you cool their burn for at least 20 minutes first. If you don't have access to cold running water, pour other cold liquids such as milk, soft drinks or beer over the burn to cool it. If you put anything on top of a burn and it later needs to be removed in hospital, it may cause further pain and damage. Toothpaste often contains menthol, which may give a superficial feeling of cooling, but does not effectively help a burn. Oils retain heat, which is the opposite of what you’re trying to do. Butter, cream or toothpaste will not cool the area. You can give an appropriate dose of painkillers and reassure the person who has been burned to help them remain calm.Īlways seek medical advice for a baby or child who has been burned. What should I do if the burn is still painful after I have cooled it for 20 minutes and covered it with cling film?īurns will often be painful even after cooling them. The water should be cold and at low pressure.Īvoid putting their whole body under a cold shower or in a cold bath as it could induce hypothermia. Focus the water on the site of the burn rather than the whole limb or body. Continue to cool the burn until the ambulance arrives.Ī shower is a good way of flooding the burn with cold water to help the cooling. If necessary, call 999 while you are cooling the burn. You can remove clothing that is near the burn but not stuck to it.Ĭooling the burn is important because it helps reduce pain and lowers the risk of long-term scarring.Ĭool the burn under cold running water immediately and for at least 20 minutes. No, don’t try to remove anything that is stuck to the burn as it may cause more damage. If clothes are stuck to the burn, should I try to remove them? Should I put a plaster over a burn to make sure it doesn't get infected? Why do I always have to seek medical advice if a baby or child has been burned? Should I put butter, cream or toothpaste on a burn? Burns are classified depending on how much of the skin they affect: First-degree burns damage the outer layer of the skin (the epidermis) and cause redness and pain. What should I do if the burn is still painful after I have cooled it for ten minutes and covered it with cling film? Should I cool the burn for 20 minutes first or should I go straight to hospital?Ĭan I use a shower or cold bath to cool a burn? Cyanide poisoning can also occur from smoke inhalation and can be treated with hydroxocobalamin (see Inhalation Injury chapter).Common questions about helping someone who has a burn If clothes are stuck to the burn, should I try to remove them? If carbon monoxide poisoning is confirmed, continue treatment with high-flow oxygen and consider hyperbaric oxygen in select cases (see Hyperbaric, Carbon Monoxide Toxicity chapter). In patients with moderate to severe flame burns and with suspicion for inhalation injury, carboxyhemoglobin levels should be checked, and patients should be placed on high flow oxygen until carbon monoxide poisoning is ruled out. Remember that the fluid resuscitation formula for burns is only an estimate and the patient may need more or less fluid based on vital signs, urine output, other injuries or other medical conditions (see Burns, Resuscitation, and Management for discussion of the management of severely burned patients). For example, if a 70 kg patient has a 30% TBSA partial thickness burn they will need 8400 mL Lactated Ringer solution in the first 24 hours with 4200 mL of that total in the first 8 hours. Half of the calculated amount is administered during the first eight hours beginning when the patient was initially burned. The total amount of fluid to be given during the initial 24 hours = 4 ml of LR × patient’s weight (kg) × % TBSA. One commonly used fluid resuscitation formula is the Parkland formula. Splints can also provide support and comfort for certain burned areas.įor burns classified as severe (> 20% TBSA), fluid resuscitation should be initiated to maintain urine output > 0.5 mL/kg/hour. Comfort – Over-the-counter pain medications or prescription pain medications when needed.
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