Diseases 52
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Quick Reference
Burns
SYMPTOMS
• Pain
• Reddened skin
• Blisters
• Scorched or blackened skin
• Dead white skin
HOME CARE
Burns that are blistered, charred, or scorched:
• Do not treat at home.
• Cover with a clean, wet cloth. Do not apply ointments.
• Keep the child warm.
• See your doctor at once.
Burns with reddened skin only:
• Immediately apply cold compresses or hold under cold running water until the pain lessens.
• Generously apply petroleum jelly or silver sulfadiazine cream.
• Cover with several layers of gauze.
• Change the dressing every 24 to 48 hours until the burn is completely healed.
Sunburn:
• Apply overthecounter sunburn products, if needed, and leave uncovered.?
PRECAUTIONS
A severely burned child may go into a state of shock. See Shock on page 453.
• Never leave children home alone-not even for a moment
• Keep the thermostat on the water heater turned low, and watch children closely when they are around the stove.
• Keep matches and cigarette lighters out of children's reach.
• Keep gasoline and other flammables under lock and key outside the house.
• Keep childproof plugs in electrical outlets, and keep children away from electrical wires and extension cords.
C°NSUM
• Keep your child's tetanus immunization status up to date.
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ER GUIDE® 117?
Burns are injuries of the skin caused by excessive heat, by chemicals (acids and alkalis), or by electricity. The seriousness of a burn depends on the size, the location, and the depth of the skin burned. Burns are classified as firstdegree (the least serious), seconddegree, and thirddegree (the most serious). Firstdegree burns cause reddening of the skin and pain; they may blister after one or two days. (Sunburn is an example of a firstdegree burn.) Seconddegree burns redden and blister immediately. Thirddegree burns are the deepest and cause the death of a full depth of skin; the skin blisters or appears scorched (blackened) or dead white.
If more than 10 percent of the skin surface has suffered second degree or thirddegree burns, a serious emergency exists. Any second degree or thirddegree burn should be treated immediately by a doctor. A person with severe burns may go into shock, which is lifethreatening and requires immediate medical treatment. Burns of the fingers, joints, and face may be serious because burns in these locations may cause scarring and deformity.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Redness, blistering, or scorching of the skin are the obvious signs of a burn.
HOME CARE
Do not try to treat seconddegree or thirddegree burns at home: they must be treated by a doctor. If a burn is blistered, charred, or scorched, cover it with a clean, wet cloth. Keep the child warm, and see your doctor at once. Do not apply ointments or other treatments to burns that will need a doctor's care. foot and mouth