First-aid of minor burns in children found to be inadequate

Researchers at The Children's Hospital at Westmead have recently undertaken a study into the first aid management of minor burns in children presenting at the Hospital's Emergency Department and through the Acute Wound Clinic.

This study, published in the January 6 edition of the Medical Journal of Australia, has provided an interesting insight into the behaviour of burns from any cause including hot water, flames or contact with a hot surface. It highlights that such burns will continue to burn beneath the skin for up to three hours after the wound has been inflicted.

Cooling the burnt area with running tap water decreases this effect and may even save the child from needing an operation such as a skin graft. However, the researchers showed that burn wound cooling is generally inadequate even by many GPs, medical centres, paramedics and hospitals. In fact, only 22 per cent of children were given adequate first aid treatment in the first instance by the parent or carer.

Education is a vital key to the successful treatment of burns by both medical practitioners and the general public. Knowing how to provide the right first aid can decrease the trauma, pain and long term effects of burns, such as scarring.

Should you encounter a child who has suffered a burn you should follow these steps:

• First remove all clothing immediately.
• Apply running tap water directly onto the burnt area for at least 20 minutes.
• Keep the rest of the child warm where possible with blankets.
• Ensure that you keep cooling the burn if you are transporting the child to a GP or hospital. A soaked dressing can be used during transportation but this should be changed as often as possible as the dressing will warm very quickly and become much less effective over time.
• Never use ice to cool a burn as it deepens tissue injury and increases the risk of hypothermia.

For further information about the first aid treatment of burns, please see The Children's Hospital at Westmead's website where a series of fact sheets provide useful advice on this and other health and safety issues.

Otherwise, for further information, please contact:

Julie Stromborg
Public Relations Officer
The Children's Hospital at Westmead
(02) 9845 3580