Burns: Fundamental First Aid for Families
Monday, June 15th, 2020, 12:41 pm
Kids play hard. Only first time parents think that they can protect their children from every potential danger or injury. Soon, even these parents come to realize that children will get hurt from time to time, no matter how careful they are. It is important to be prepared to handle minor injuries, scrapes, and bruises with more than just a kiss on the boo-boo. Here are some basic first aid tips for burns.
You’d think kids would be nowhere near a fire, but there are a lot of opportunities for your little one to get burned. They could try to help in the kitchen and have an accident, they could be baking alone for the first time and forget to use an oven mitt, or they might get too close to a campfire before anyone can catch them.
Minor burns are relatively easy to treat most of the time. You should cool the burn with a cool compress or cool (but not cold) running water. When the burn is completely cooled, add an aloe or moisturizing lotion or burn ointment to the area and cover with a sterile gauze bandage. Don’t use the fluffy cotton bandage because it will stick to the burn.
If your little one gets a major burn, get them to safety and call 911. Cover the area of the burn with a cool, moist bandage, if possible. Keep the burned area elevated (above the heart) and wait for medical assistance to arrive. Don’t put cold water on a large severely burned area as you would a minor burn, as it can cause hypothermia.
If your child gets a burn and you aren’t sure if they need medical treatment, you can bring them into our urgent care center, and we will be able to treat them. If they need emergent care, we can arrange it from our office.
Category: Injuries