Children are highly curious yet lack coordination, making them a high-risk group for burns and scalds. Parents should proactively learn proper first aid techniques to minimize harm in emergencies. What should you do immediately after a child suffers a burn or scald?
Burn injuries are more severe in children than adults
Winter break (January–March) and summer vacation (June–September) are peak seasons for burn injuries.This is because children have more opportunities to encounter hazards like open flames and boiling liquids at home. However, most young children lack self-protection skills and have limited awareness of avoiding danger. If parents are not vigilant, children—especially those aged 1–2—are highly susceptible to burns.
Infants have more delicate skin. Even under identical conditions as adults, their burns are far more severe. For the same burn area, children are more prone to dehydration, acidosis, and shock than adults. Combined with weaker immunity and poor wound protection awareness, children face a higher risk of infection and sepsis.Therefore, parents must provide prompt and proper care immediately after a child suffers a burn or scald.
What should you do first after a child gets burned or scalded?
Many parents apply toothpaste or similar substances to treat burns, but this practice is inadvisable.
Applying colored medications like red mercurochrome or purple mercurochrome can obscure the depth of the wound for medical assessment. Moreover, these are merely antiseptics; extensive use may lead to poisoning. Applying toothpaste or ointments not only impedes heat dissipation from the burn but also complicates wound cleaning.
When a child suffers a burn or scald, parents should first remove the child from the heat source and then administer first aid based on the type of injury.
1. Scalding Burns from Hot Liquids
Parents, take note! The most critical step in treating a scald is not rushing to the hospital, but these two words: Cooling! Heat trapped in clothing and skin does not dissipate immediately; it continues to penetrate deeper layers. Without urgent cooling, a mild burn may escalate to moderate, and a moderate burn to severe!
"Rinse, Remove, Soak, Cover, Seek Help" is the five-step emergency protocol for burns—parents must commit this to memory!
Rinse: Immediately flush with cool water;
Remove: Take off any burning or waterlogged clothing;
Soak: Immerse the burned or scalded limb in cool water until pain subsides;
Cover: Cover the wound with a clean cloth to prevent infection;
Seek medical attention: Transport the child to a hospital promptly for treatment.
Tip: If the child develops a fever, increased local pain, or pus discharge, it indicates the wound has become infected and inflamed. Seek medical care immediately.
2. Chemical Burns
Chemical skin burns refer to acute skin damage caused by direct irritation, corrosion, or chemical reaction heat from substances at room or high temperatures.
Over 2,600 substances can cause chemical burns. Regardless of pH level, immediately rinse the affected area with running tap water for at least 60 minutes. Never submerge the injury in water, as this may spread the chemical and worsen the damage. If eyes are affected, hold the child's eyelids open and flush with copious amounts of water for 2 hours before seeking medical attention.
3. Contact Burns
Severity depends on temperature and exposure duration. If skin appears red or blistered, rinse and soak before seeking medical attention. If skin is charred black or turns waxy white—indicating deep burns—seek immediate medical care.
4. Electrical Burns
If a child is electrocuted, immediately disconnect the power source or use an insulated object to move the wire away. If the child is unconscious, check for breathing and pulse. If the heart has stopped, perform CPR immediately.
How long does it take for a child's burn to heal?
A child's recovery from a burn depends on the "extent" and "depth" of the injury.
First-degree burn
Human skin consists of three layers: epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue. A first-degree burn affects only the epidermis.Although this level of burn causes significant pain, it typically heals within a few days.
Second-Degree Burns
If blisters form only on the surface of the dermis, the pain is severe but the burn heals within 1-2 weeks. Burns reaching deeper into the dermis require 3-4 weeks to heal completely.
Third-Degree Burns
These involve damage from the dermis to the subcutaneous tissue. Typically, third-degree burn wounds turn white and become insensitive to pain. Since the subcutaneous tissue is necrotic, even after healing, the area cannot regain its original appearance. Extensive burns may require skin grafting.