As the summer months approach, we are reminded of the high risk for heat-related illnesses. In addition to sunburns and dehydration, children are also at a higher risk for burns. According to WebMD, there are many different causes of burns in children that can range from touching something hot or scalding liquid to being wrapped up too tightly by their parents while playing with them.
This blog post is intended for anyone who has questions about how they can keep their child safe during this time of year.
We will discuss: what are some common causes of children burned; what should I do if my child gets burned?; and more!
Stay tuned for future updates!
1. Burns are caused by an injury to the skin that results in a loss of heat or an increase in temperature. These burns can be minor, such as a simple sunburn, or severe like third-degree burns caused by scalding water. Some common household items that can cause burns are:
cotton swabs and balls (some brands contain metal parts inside) curling irons hot water cans and bottles boiling water on a stove oven burners (even on the self-clean cycle)
2. There are three main types of burns – thermal, chemical, and electrical
The types of burns that are most common in children include:
thermal–caused by hot objects, such as fire, heaters, and cooking equipment. baking soda also causes thermal burns when it is mixed with vinegar on the stove or radiator. electrical–caused by faulty wiring or appliances that have malfunctioned chemically–some household cleaners are highly toxic, so it is important to keep them safely away from children.
3. Thermal burns occur when heat is applied to the skin
Most of the time, these burns are not as severe in children because their skin is more delicate. The following steps should be taken immediately if your child suffers from a heat burn:
- Cool the burn with cool (not cold) water for at least ten minutes
- DO NOT remove clothing or jewelry from the affected area
- Cover
4. Chemical burns happen when chemicals come into contact with the skin
These can be caused by:
cleaning chemicals household products medicine ointment gasoline
If your child suffers from a chemical burn, you should:
1. Apply cool (not cold) water for at least 15 minutes
2. DO NOT remove clothing or jewelry from the affected area
3. Cover with a clean cloth and secure it with a bandage or dressing
4. Seek
5. Electrical injuries can cause severe damage because electricity has a strong current that runs through it
Electrical burns are also common in children. Not only because they like to stick things into outlets, but electrical outlets and appliances malfunction frequently. The following steps should be taken right away if your child is exposed to a high voltage shock or suffers from an electrical burn
6. The severity of a burn depends on how much energy was transferred from the source to the victim’s body and how deep into their skin they penetrated
7. First-degree burns are only superficial–the outer layer of the skin has been damaged, but not the underlying tissue. The skin turns red, feels warm to the touch, and is painful during movement or pressure. A child with first-degree burns does not need special treatment other than making sure that their bandages are clean and covering the burn.
1st-degree burns are white with redness around the edges 2nd-degree burns go deeper and turn bright red or purplish in color 3rd-degree burns are most serious because they damage tissues below the outer layer of skin These kinds of burns need immediate medical attention and must be treated by a healthcare provider.
8. Third-degree burns cause deeper damage and extend beyond the outer layer of skin. These kinds of burns are serious and can affect muscles, tendons, joints, nerves, and bone.
3rd-degree burn causes major tissue damage and even affects bone
9. In order to determine the severity of a burn, healthcare providers use special tools to measure its depth and extent. They use a burn chart like the one shown here to determine how much of the body surface area is involved, which can help them decide whether your child needs to be hospitalized or has only superficial burns.
Conclusion
Burns in children can come from many different sources, but the most common burns that parents may need to be aware of are those caused by scalding liquids. Scalds happen when there is a sudden and dramatic change in temperature (i.e., hot coffee spilled on the skin). The severity of a burn depends on how long your child was exposed to the heat source as well as their age and sensitivity to pain. If you suspect your child has been burned with something other than water or if they have wounds such as rashes around an area where they were burned, please seek medical attention immediately for proper treatment. There’s no telling how much damage could occur without quick treatment!