First Aid for Serious Burns

Escaping the smoke

Lt. Christopher Kelly of Greenawalds Fire Company shows 3-year-old Joshua of Coopersburg how to crawl under smoke when exiting a burning house. They’re in one of the Burn Prevention Foundation’s six Fire Safety Houses—child-size mobile spaces designed to teach students about home evacuation.

Your teenager trips while carrying a bowl of steaming-hot soup. It splatters over his bare arms, causing blisters and red, splotchy skin. What do you do? “The most important thing is to stop the burning process by running cool water over the injury,” says burn surgeon Daniel Lozano, M.D., of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. Next, you’ll want to clean and dry the area, then cover it.

Whether you need professional care depends on the size, depth and location of the burn. If it covers an entire body part like an arm, hand or finger, get to a hospital with a specialized burn center. “Burns like this can cause enough swelling to cut off blood to the area,” Lozano says. A burn center is also the answer for burns on the face or neck (where swelling could affect breathing); hands, feet or genitalia; or over a major joint like an elbow or knee, where scarring could restrict movement.

The depth or degree of the burn is another factor. First and smaller second-degree burns can be treated at home. “Use an over-the-counter antibiotic cream like Neosporin to keep the burn moist,” Lozano says. “It helps prevent infection and speed healing.” Any third-degree burn, regardless of location, requires evaluation by a burn center. “Infection is a real threat, and there is potential for severe scarring and loss of function,” Lozano says.

Finally, seek professional care for any burn victim with pigmented skin. Hispanics, African-Americans and Asians are at risk for developing thick scarring from burns. The right care will help them heal quickly and minimize that risk.

Here are more guidelines for burn first aid:

If you witness someone on fire, get him to “stop, drop and roll.” Once the flames are out, cool the burns with water, then remove burned clothes. “You’ll also want to remove jewelry or boots before swelling occurs,” Lozano says.

If it’s a chemical burn, flush the site with cool water for 20-30 minutes.

If you suspect an electrical burn, see if the victim is still in contact with the electrical source. If so, use a stick, cardboard or item made of plastic to move the live wire away from the victim and call 9-1-1. If you can’t tell, play it safe— call 9-1-1 and don’t touch the victim (you don’t want to get shocked, too).

The larger or deeper the burn, the more likely the victim may go into shock. Lay him down with his head slightly lower than his shoulders and elevate his legs.

Stay away from home remedies. “Using butter, oil, toothpaste or an aloe plant can lead to infection,” Lozano says. Also, don’t use ice on large burns. It lowers the body temperature and can cause shock or damage the skin.

Want to Know More about burn healing and fire prevention? For a Great Escape DVD, educational materials and first-aid brochures from the Burn Prevention Foundation, call 610-402-CARE.

Published from Healthy You Magazine, January-February 2008

ARTICLE TOOLS: