Burns
occur when there is contact between the skin and fire, or heat from
the sun, or corrosive chemicals, or electricity. A scald is caused by
something wet, such as hot water or steam1.
They
lead to damage to the skin and can develop blisters and scalding.
Although adults can get burn injuries, it’s very common with
children
Tips
on how to prevent Burn Injuries
- Do not carry a pot, container filled with hot water or hot liquid with children around
- Use a kitchen cloths to handle hot pans and pots and don’t carry them with your bare hands
- Clean promptly spilled fluids on the kitchen floor , as this can predispose to slips and falls and burns if the person is handling a hot object
- Keep hot objects out of reach of your children and away from the edge of tables
- Create boundaries in your home: don’t let your children wander around cooking stoves, or burners, or naked flame and wires.
- Keep chemicals in well labeled bottles and far from the reach of children. I’ve seen cases where corrosive chemicals are placed in a soft drink bottle or other harmless looking containers and handled by unsuspecting people.
- If in areas with high temperatures where you can be prone to skin burns, protect your skin with a sunscreen and wear protective clothing
- It’s important to train your house help on all these tips, because a lot of times they spend hours alone with the children
What
to do in Burn Injury before presenting in a health facility
- Remove the person immediately from the source of the burn injury
- Apply cool or lukewarm water to the burn for some minutes for cooling. Avoid using iced water or creams on the burn area.
- Cover the burn with cling film (if available) and remove clothing and jewelry around the burn area. Take care not to rub anything against the burn area
- If in pain, you can administer pain killers like paracetamol
- Take the person to the nearest health facility
References
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