Gateway’s Top Tips For Burn Prevention & Treatment

While burns are no fun, they do tend to be a common injury among children. The good news is that they are highly preventable with a few simple measures.  Here are our tips for burn prevention and treatment. 

Prevention is always the goal when talking about injury, and this certainly applies to burns as well. By adulthood most of us are aware of how to be careful around potentially hot surfaces and use precautions when encountering hot situations. If you have little ones in your home, however, you also know that accidents happen! Here are a few tips to protect your kids from potential burns. 

Stir food thoroughly after heating it in the microwave. Microwaves can concentrate the heat in certain places so while some of that mac and cheese still feels cold, there may be hot spots that can cause burns. Stir well to distribute the heat and test a small bite before serving to young ones. 

When using the stove, don’t leave hot burners unattended. Kids are quick and it only takes a second to poke a finger into a boiling pot. Another tip? Turn pot handles so they aren’t pointed out over the edge of the stove. It’s easy for passers-by to graze a handle while walking and tip a pot’s hot contents onto themselves. 

Did you know hot tap water can cause injury after just one second of exposure? To circumvent accidents while washing hands or in the tub, adjust your home’s hot water heater so the temperature doesn’t go above 120 degrees Fahrenheit. 

As colder weather slowly approaches, check out your fireplace cover. Glass covers pose a potential risk with the glass potentially reaching a temperature of 170 degrees Fahrenheit or more. Consider replacing your cover or taking other precautions with young ones who will be enjoying the fire with you this fall. 

When burns do happen, quickly submerge the area into cold water. However, it’s best to avoid ice as this can further damage the tissues.  

Once the pain subsides you can cover a non-oozing wound to protect the tissue as it heals. If the wound is oozing, it’s best to clover it loosely with gauze (you don’t want any adhesive sticking to the burned area) and seek medical treatment immediately. 

While minor burns can be treated at home, more severe situations require a trained set of eyes to assess further treatment needs. Burns on the mouth, hands or genitals should always be checked out. If a burned area stays red and painful beyond a few hours after it occurs, it’s a good idea to get things checked out. And finally, if the burn is more than just superficial — that is, it goes beyond skin-deep -— consider it an injury that requires professional medical attention. 

We hope these tips for burn prevention and treatment keep you and your family safe. If an accident happens remember that Gateway Hancock Health is well-experienced in burn care, and we are here when you need us.