With kids in the house, one has to be very careful and vigilant as they can often end up inviting some trouble. Burn injuries are very common and most of the kids fall a prey to them. Whether toddlers or school going kids, burn injuries and accidents stand very common with them. Most of them can be prevented if proper care is taken.

Prevention always comes as the best medicine. You must see that the electrical appliances in your house are all child proof. Don’t allow your child to operate any electrical appliance on his own like an iron, electric heater and others. However, despite taking all care and following the right measures, some accidents do occur. But rather than panicking, you must act timely and quickly by using the proper first aid steps for burn injuries.

This will surely reduce the burn effects and your child won’t be harmed much. Here let us get to know what all measures must be taken as first aid if your child encounters a burn injury.

1. Soak the burn

• Without delay, put the burned area in cool water or under a tap
• Make sure the affected area is kept under water for nearly 15 minutes
• Never use ice

2. Remove the heat source 
If the burn injury has been caused due to spilling of any hot liquid, immediately remove all the clothes or diapers. This is because clothes tend to hold the heat and if you don’t remove them, they will deepen the burn injury on skin.

In case the burn injury is caused due to catching fire, the child must be made to stop, drop and roll on the ground. For smaller kids, you must cover them with a thick blanket. Rolling on the ground is the best option as it smothers the flames. If the cloth gets stuck to the body, never peel it off as it can cause harm to the skin. Just cut the cloth hanging around and leave the remaining part. A doctor would be able to remove it without causing any discomfort or harm to your child.

3. Cover the burn 

• Make use of nonstick gauze or a clean cloth to cover the burn
• In case of minor burns, apply some antibiotic ointment
• Avoid putting any other substance like butter, ghee or anything else
• Never pop the blisters

4. Reduce Pain

• You can make use of infant or child-strength over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
• Ensure you thoroughly follow the instructions as given on the medicine pack
• You will have to see that the medicine isn’t causing any allergic reaction. Apply a small quantity first, if the child complains of any discomfort, call for a pediatrician

5. Call 911 

The 911 must be called immediately, if:

• The burn is severe and the area is white
• Burn was caused by electric shock or chemicals
• The injury is on your child’s face, hands, feet, genitals, or a joint
• It covers 10% or more of the body
• You aren’t sure what to do

6. Call a doctor
Whether it’s a minor burn or major, it’s always advisable to see a doctor. At times, there can be any internal injury. A doctor will examine the burned area properly and help you know if at all there is any complication.

Dealing with burn injuries won’t be much difficult if you follow the right steps. Before you can reach out to a doctor, it’s always good to follow the first aid so that you can reduce further complications.