First aid for Burns

With so many annual festivities that involve a fire in one way or another, whether it’s s’mores in the summer, Bonfire Night, Halloween, or candles at Christmas, it’s really important to know what to do if your child gets a burn.

How common are burns injuries?

250000 people in the UK receive burns injuries each year
175000 people attend Accident and Emergency with burns
16000 receive specialist burns care in hospital each year

Are burns injuries the most painful?

Burns injuries can be one of the most painful injuries. It is really important that when dealing with a casulaty that do not go into shock.

What types of burns injuries are the most painful?

Second Degree burns are more painful than First Degree burns. A second degree burn is when the burn breaks through the second layer of the skin.The skin can swell and become red and blotchy.

What is the most common type of burn?

NCBI identyify that thermal burns are the most common type of burn experienced by people with 86% requiring hospital admission. Burns from liquids are the most common and young children are often most at risk.

How can I apply first aid to a burn?

First, run it under cool running water, for 20 minutes.
Then, have a look at it. Is it blistered? Or is it just red? If it is still sore, they can try some pain relief, but there’s no need to keep it under water for any longer.
If it’s blistered, it can be a sensible idea to cover it so that the blister doesn’t burst.
Make sure the dressing is big enough to go over the whole area. If it’s just red, it may not need a dressing at all.
If the blistered area is bigger than their palm, or if the redness is larger than 5 of their palms, the should be treated at hospital.
If the burn is on the face, hands, feet or genitals, or goes all the way around a limb, it should be checked at hospital.
All babies and children with a burn must see a doctor to have it checked. If worried, dial 999.