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Burns happen! Kids are a perfect combination of clumsy and curious. The good news is that most burns are minor and heal without intervention. Our skin is a complex organ which helps most burns heal quickly. However, if it is compromised too much, it will need extensive help to keep our body safe.
Assessing the overall size of the burned area is important. If the area burned is larger than the size of your child’s hand OR if it involves the hands or feet, then you probably will want to call your pediatrician to help with management. If the area burned is much larger, or covers entire areas of your child’s body, then you will want to go to the emergency room for acute management.
Another important point about location: if the burned area overlays a joint, or if the burn circumvents a body part (for example around the arm or leg), these can require other interventions, and your child would benefit by seeing your pediatrician.
The depth of the burn can be tricky to assess. The most minor only involves the top layer of skin. This burn is usually a bright red, but does not blister, and you can still see skin (a typical example is sunburn). This heals quickly and typically has no complications. Deeper burns can involve more layers of skin all the way down to, and including the muscle, which is the deepest. Blistering of the skin typically means there’s more than one layer involved, and if the blister is larger than two centimeters, then it could be more serious and would need to assessed. If you have any doubt, call your pediatrician.
A good treatment for minor burns at home would be cleaning with a mild soap. Moisturizer can be applied if the site is dry or itchy, and a bandage can be applied if you’re worried about your child picking at it or getting the area dirty. If a blister forms, try not to pop it because this is your body’s natural bandage. More extensive burns might require debridement which is removal of the dead tissue, while therapy referrals can help with wound healing or movement of the joints around the burn.
As always, if your child does experience a burn, your pediatrician can be your best first call to help with management and to answer all of your questions.
Dr. Savannah Browning grew up in Fayette, AL. She moved to Mobile to attend Medical School at the University of South Alabama in 2009, and has been a proud Mobilian ever since. She joined Children’s Medical Group in 2016, and her office is at the Airport Boulevard location. She lives in Mobile with her husband, Andrew, and their three children: Jude, Luke, and Annie.
Author: Savannah Browning
Dr. Savannah Browning grew up in Fayette, AL. She moved to Mobile to attend Medical School at the University of South Alabama in 2009, and has been a proud Mobilian ever since. She joined Children’s Medical Group in 2016, and her office is at the Airport Boulevard location. She lives in Mobile with her husband, Andrew, and their three children: Jude, Luke, and Annie.
