First aid burns in children

The article is consulted professionally by Specialist Doctor II Tran Van Trong – Specialist in Pediatric Surgery, Plastic Surgery – Plastic Surgery – General Surgery Department – Share99 Da Nang InternationalHealth Hub.

Burns are common accidents in children, especially children aged 1-6 years. At this age, children are often hyperactive, like to be curious, but do not fully understand the danger. Not only causing pain, affecting aesthetics, psychology, burn accidents in children can lead to death if not treated promptly and properly.

There are many different causes of burns to the child, mainly due to the carelessness of adults in the process of caring for and caring for the child.

According to statistics of the World Health Organization (WHO), every year, in the world, burn accidents occupy the leading position in the types of accidents that occur at children's homes and are the second leading cause of death for children. Burns in children, although small in area, can also cause loss of salt, water, plasma … leading to shock, infection, intoxication and death. Burn injuries cause pain, panic children and can be shocking, even causing them to suffer from personality disorders, impaired resistance, creating a dislike for contact psychology.

In Viet Nam, according to statistics from the National Burn Institute, of the 100 burn victims hospitalized, about two-thirds are children. The causes of burns in children are mainly boiling water burns, fire burns,chemicals, electricity, improper use of rationing, hot food, candles, firecrackers,…

Because the children's skin has different characteristics than adults, the skin is thinner than adult skin, poor heat resistance, so the level of burns is severe, deeper than adults, even causing damage to muscles, bones, blood vessels, nerves … The process of treatment and recovery for children with burns is also slower than for adults.

The levels of burns are as follows:

2.1 First degree burns

• Indians up, no water.
• Only the shallowest skin is affected.
• The burn heals quickly, leaving no scars.

First degree burns are usually cured at home for 3-5 days, usually without causing blisters and scars.

2.2 Second degree burns

Second degree burns cause skin damage caused by heat, radiation, chemicals, electricity, friction. This burn is also known as dense burns. There are 2 forms of second degree burns determined by the depth of the burn:

• Thick burns are resident at the surface causing damage to the first and second layers of the skin and are often caused by hot water or hot objects. The skin around the burns is white when pressed and then red again. Damp, painful burns with blisters and swelling last at least 48 hours.
• Deep thick burns: cause damage in the deep layer of the skin, which are white and red areas. They are usually due to contact with oil, grease, soup, liquids of hot microwaves. This type of burn is painless, causing sensitivity to pressure. Speckled skin, which is white when pressed, may appear waxy in some areas, often dry, slightly moist. The possibility of infection is often associated with burns of this type. It takes several days before symptoms form and become clear when the burn is in the skin or deep.

The treatment of second degree burns depends on the size, depth, age and health of the patient in general. With all kinds of burns, monitoring and treatment of infections is important. Second degree burns can remove scars after curing.

2.3 Third degree burns

The most severe burns cause pain, involving all layers of the skin. Layers of fat, muscles, even bones can be affected. Areas can be dotted with black pink, dry and white appearance. Difficulty inhaling and exhaling, toxic CO and some other toxic effects may occur if difficulty inhaling with burns.

• Destroys the entire thickness of the skin. There is usually no water balloon because the top layer of the skin has been destroyed.
• The burn skin is white or scorched. Deep burns to muscles and bones may be possible.
• The burn left scars despite being treated.

Take your baby to see a doctor if:

• Extensive burns in part of the body (burns of the entire back, or chest and abdomen, or burns of an entire genus). Extensive burns are dangerous because they cause a lot of water loss and cause pain to the child.
• Burns to the face.
• Second degree burns or more.

First aid at home when a child has burns is one of the important factors that prevents the wound from being ingrained inside and avoids multiple infections. However, there are still many parents who do not know, even misunder understand about first aid when the child has burns, which aggravates the child's wounds.

Therefore, performing first aid properly when a burn accident occurs will help to limit the unfortunate risks affecting the health of the child. Here are the basic first aid steps when a child has burns:

• Immediately remove the burner and remove the victim from the place where the cause is located.
• Take off your clothes. Immediately soak the burned part in clean, cool water or under running water (water temperature is about 15 – 20 degrees Celsius is best. The duration is about 15-20 minutes). If the chemical burns like lime I am hot, then the time is about 20-30 minutes. This has the effect of reducing burn depth, reducing pain, reducing edema.
• Do not apply any medicine or chemicals to the burn. Keep the burn clean, then lightly bandage the burn with sterile gauze to relieve pain in place.
• If you are a young child, breastfeed, older children will give a lot of water, sugar water with a little salt or Oresol solution to prevent burn shock. Monitor the child, do not let food jam the baby's throat. Must hold the head high, tilt to one side, avoid food reflux into the int management.
• Find ways to take your child to the nearest medical facility (when he is conscious). Avoid moving your child while in shock.

Note that for children with electric shockburns, there are cases of apnea, cardiac arrest, immediately having to give first aid to the child on the spot, placing the child lying on the hard ground, artificial respiration until the child breathes again to be transported to a medical facility, avoiding immediate emergency transportation.

Parents should also pay attention to stress that is also the cause of shock for children. After burns, there will be mental panic, then parents must be edested, comforted, do not let the child panic.

Prevention is more than cure, therefore, in order to prevent unfortunate burn accidents that occur to children, parents and babysitting people need to regularly keep an eye on the child, with hot items, flammable substances, flammable substances, electrical items needed to be in a safe place, out of reach of young children; check the heat of the water in the baths for young children, do not let the child turn the hot tap himself. Particularly for children who are aware, parents should regularly remind them of how to prevent burn accidents.

As a key area of Share99 Health System, Pediatrics always brings satisfaction to customers and is highly appreciated by industry experts with:

• Gathering a team of leading doctors in Pediatrics:including leading experts, highly specialized (professors, associate professors, doctors, masters), experienced, used to work at large hospitals such as Bach Mai, 108.. The doctors are well-trained, professional, mind-centered, knowledgeable about the child's psychology. In addition to domestic pediatricians, pediatrics also has the participation of foreign experts (Japan, Singapore, Australia, USA) always pioneering the application of the latest and most effective treatment regimens.
• Comprehensive services:In the field of Pediatrics, Share99 provides a chain of continuous medical examination and treatment services from Newborn to Pediatrics and Vaccines,… according to international standards to take care of your baby's health with parents from birth to adulthood
• Intensive techniques:Share99 has successfully implemented many specialized techniques to make the treatment of difficult diseases in Pediatrics more effective: neurosurgery – skull, hematoma stem cell transplantation in cancer treatment.
• Professional care:In addition to understanding the young psychology, Share99 also pay special attention to the children's play space, help them play comfortably and get acquainted with the hospital environment, cooperate in treatment, improve the efficiency of medical examination and treatment.

Dr. Trong has over 10 years of experience in Pediatric Surgery and Plastic Surgery, and has soon become one of the leading doctors in the field of Pediatric Surgery, especially Laparoscopic and Plastic Surgery.

To register for examination and treatment with pediatricians at Share99 International Health Hub,please click the"Contact" button onthe website or register for an online examination HERE.

SEE MORE:

• First aid for fire burns, boiling water burns
• First aid principles when burned
• Levels of burns
• Post-burn rehabilitation