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Child Care After Burn or Scald Injury

Date issued: December 2022

Review date: December 2024

Ref: a-516/NB/ED/Child Care After Burn or Scald Injury

PDF:  Child Care After Burn or Scald Injury final December 2022.pdf [pdf] 148KB

Your child’s dressing will protect the wound while healing takes place. To reduce the risk of infection, try to keep the dressing clean and dry.

Do not remove them unless you are instructed to do so.

Please contact the hospital or outreach nurse for advice if you are concerned.

A wound infection requires URGENT treatment.

It is important to be aware of the signs of infection:

  • High temperature

  • Skin rash

  • Vomiting and/or diarrhoea

  • Increased redness and/ or swelling

Please contact the team if you notice any of these signs or attend your local Emergency Department who will then contact the Plymouth Burns service for further advice.

Pain and itching

If your child is in pain, they may need pain relief.  Paracetamol and ibuprofen are acceptable to take but please follow the instructions. If the pain does not settle with regular analgesia, please contact the hospital.

Itching can be an uncomfortable symptom during burn healing; this should improve when the burn is healed. Regular Chlorphenamine (e.g., Piriton®) and keeping the child cool can help. If the itching does not improve, please contact the burns team.

Creaming and hygiene

All healed areas will need to the washed and moisturised twice a day to prevent drying, cracking and becoming sore. You should use non-perfumed moisturiser (e.g., E45®, Aveeno®). Your will be shown how to moisturise when the burn is healed.

Scarring

After a burn injury there is a risk of scarring if healing is delayed. If the area becomes red, raised, hard and itchy scarring may be developing. If the burn took over 2-3 weeks to heal or the burn was grafted, you will be referred to our scar management team in the hospital.

If you are worried about scarring, please contact the team or the outreach nurse.

Sunscreen

It is very important that healed burn wounds are protected from the sun for least 2 years. Your child should wear factor 50 sunscreen and wear protective clothing over the injured area, as the new skin will burn quickly and may blister.  If the area becomes tanned this can be permanent and blotchy.

Skin colour change

Skin colour changes are common after a burn. It may go redder when your child is hot, angry or upset and will go bluish when cold.  This will settle in time.

Blisters and small wounds

All wounds and blisters are not uncommon on newly healed areas. Treat with a small dressing and seek advice if concerned.

Social support
If you have concerns about your child returning to school or nursery, please contact the outreach nurse.

You can also ask help from your health visitor or GP. If you are worried about how your child is coping, you can then be referred to a psychologist, they can help you, your child and family with any concerns and worries relating to the burn and find ways to cope.

Frenchay After Burns Children’s Club

This is an independent charity available to all children who have sustained a burn or scald injury. The charity provides day trips, family days out, parties and camps; all aimed at building confidence and self-esteem.

You will meet other people who have been through similar experiences.

Please apply online: www.fabclub.org.uk

Phone numbers

Burns Outreach Nurse

Tel: 07919 391874

Monday – Friday:  08:30 16:30

Children’s Young Peoples Outpatients Department (CYPOD)

Tel: 01752 763460

Monday – Friday: 08:00 – 18:00

Children’s Assessment Unit

Tel: 01752 437524 (out of hours)

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