Scalding Water Burn

Since I never had a girl of my own,  I couldn't wait to start all the "girly" rituals when I found out I was having a granddaughter. You know .... pedicures, shopping for purses and shoes and of course tea parties! Chloe had her first pedicure on her second birthday and now perches her little self up there like she's been doing it all her life, which she has. In addition to pedicures, we've been mall buddies from the time I was given permission to take her shopping by mommy. She kicks back in her comfy stroller, daintily crossing her knees and sucking her thumb. Comically, one of the first things she said to me well before her second birthday was "Wanna go shopping?" Then, since I'm a tea drinker I taught Chloe to make tea with sugar and milk just the way I do. One thing you should know ... our little Chloe loves gum - it's the minty smell that she just can't resist. So naturally her favorite tea is Mint Plantation.

I allowed her to make tea when she was here with me. She knew to get a coffee mug and set the timer to "Two Zero Zero". Then we would transfer it into the tea pot and have ourselves a grand tea party! On occasion, she wanted to make it herself, but I supervised. Sadly our tea parties have come to an end since she moved to Tennessee. I probably shouldn't admit this, but I send her and Mason (our Grandson) a little box every week. They call it the "Candy Box" because I always put a little candy in it. In the last box I included a little reminder of our special times together ... her favorite coffee mug and a brand new box of her favorite tea. I feel so bad about it now!

Recently, she decided to make her own cup of tea at her new house. She pressed "Two Zero Zero" but it wasn't hot enough so she pressed "Two Zero Zero" again. When she was taking it out of the microwave, it tipped a little. When she tried to stop it, the cup completely tipped over. Boiling water hit the pad of her thumb, but even more spilled down her leg and soaked her jeans right at her knee.

Thankfully, she ripped the jeans off immediately. Also thankfully, a family friend who is also a medic was in the house at the time. He helped her put the burns in cool water and applied an antiseptic immediately. But sadly, she ended up with second degree burns. She was in so much pain! Apparently there was a lot of hysterical screaming going on in their house for quite a while. After she calmed down a bit she called me. (We have an agreement that she can call me anytime about anything that she wants to talk about, whether it's good or bad.) She was crying so hard I couldn't understand more than she had a burn.

I told her over and over how sorry I was. Naturally, I feel responsible because I sent her the tea and mug. Chloe eventually calmed down. She's such a sweet and compassionate little girl; she wanted to comfort me because I felt like it was my fault. But in the end, she took complete responsibility and she understands that it was an accident. "Accidents Happen." She now understands how terribly painful burns are. I'm just thankful the burns weren't on her face or covering a larger area.

Chloe declared her tea drinking days are now behind her. She threw away the tea and will save the coffee mug for hot chocolate this fall. Anyway, now that you know the story, here's a few things you can do if you, or someone you know, suffers a burn:

Types of Burns

Burns are often categorized as first-, second-, or third-degree, depending on how badly the skin is damaged. Each of the injuries above can cause any of these three types of burns. But both the type of burn and its cause will determine how the burn is treated.

All burns should be treated quickly to reduce the temperature of the burned area and reduce damage to the skin and underlying tissue (if the burn is severe).

First-Degree Burns

First-degree burns, the mildest of the three, are limited to the top layer of skin:

• Signs and symptoms: These burns produce redness, pain, and minor swelling. The skin is dry without blisters.
• Healing time: Healing time is about 3 to 6 days; the superficial skin layer over the burn may peel off in 1 or 2 days.

Second-Degree Burns

Second-degree burns are more serious and involve the skin layers beneath the top layer:

• Signs and symptoms: These burns produce blisters, severe pain, and redness. The blisters sometimes break open and the area is wet looking with a bright pink to cherry red color.
• Healing time: Healing time varies depending on the severity of the burn. It can take up to 3 weeks or more.

Third-Degree Burns

Third-degree burns are the most serious type of burn and involve all the layers of the skin and underlying tissue:

• Signs and symptoms: The surface appears dry and can look waxy white, leathery, brown, or charred. There may be little or no pain or the area may feel numb at first because of nerve damage.
• Healing time: Healing time depends on the severity of the burn. Deep second- and third-degree burns (called full-thickness burns) will likely need to be treated with skin grafts, in which healthy skin is taken from another part of the body and surgically placed over the burn wound to help the area heal.

What to Do

Seek Medical Help Immediately When:

• You think your child has a second- or third-degree burn.
• The burned area is large (2-3 inches in diameter), even if it seems like a minor burn. For any burn that appears to cover more than 10% of the body, call for medical assistance. And don't use wet compresses or ice because they can cause the child's body temperature to drop. Instead, cover the area with a clean, soft cloth or towel.
• The burn comes from a fire, an electrical wire or socket, or chemicals.
• The burn is on the face, scalp, hands, joint surfaces, or genitals.
• The burn looks infected (with swelling, pus, increasing redness, or red streaking of the skin near the wound).

For First-Degree Burns:

• Remove the child from the heat source.
• Remove clothing from the burned area immediately.
• Run cool (not cold) water over the burned area (if water isn't available, any cold, drinkable fluid can be used) or hold a clean, cold compress on the burn for approximately 3-5 minutes (do not use ice, as it may cause more destruction to the injured skin).
• Do not apply butter, grease, powder, or any other remedies to the burn, as these increase the risk of infection.
• Apply aloe gel or cream to the affected area. This may be done a few times during the day.
• Give your child acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain.
• If the area affected is small (the size of a quarter or smaller), keep it clean. You can protect it with a sterile gauze pad or bandage for the next 24 hours (but do not use bandages on very young kids, as these can be a choking hazard).

For Second- and Third-Degree Burns:

• Seek emergency medical care, then follow these steps until medical personnel arrive:
  • Keep your child lying down with the burned area elevated.
  • Follow the instructions for first-degree burns.
  • Remove all jewelry and clothing from around the burn (in case there's any swelling after the injury), except for clothing that's stuck to the skin. If you're having difficulty removing clothing, you may need to cut it off or wait until medical assistance arrives.
  • Do not break any blisters.
  • Apply cool water over the area for at least 3-5 minutes, then cover the area with a clean white cloth or sheet until help arrives.

  What to Do (continued)

  For Flame Burns:

• Extinguish the flames by having your child roll on the ground.
• Cover him or her with a blanket or jacket.
• Remove smoldering clothing and any jewelry around the burned area.
• Call for medical assistance, then follow instructions for second- and third-degree burns.

For Electrical and Chemical Burns:

• Make sure the child is not in contact with the electrical source before touching him or her or you may also get shocked.
• For chemical burns, flush the area with lots of running water for 5 minutes or more. If the burned area is large, use a tub, shower, buckets of water, or a garden hose.
• Do not remove any of your child's clothing before you've begun flushing the burn with water. As you continue flushing the burn, you can then remove clothing from the burned area.
• If the burned area from a chemical is small, flush for another 10-20 minutes, apply a sterile gauze pad or bandage, and call your doctor.
• Chemical burns to the mouth or eyes require immediate medical evaluation after thorough flushing with water.

Although both chemical and electrical burns might not always be visible, they can be serious because of potential damage to internal organs. Symptoms may vary, depending on the type and severity of the burn and what caused it and may include abdominal pain.

Thank you Kids Health for your article. It's a great reminder that we all need to be mindful when our children are nearby.

I hope you found this article helpful.

Shine on!

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