I stopped a scald scarring Archie’s ankles
BURNS AND SCALDS LAURA CHAMBERS, 30, is a part-time estate agent. She lives in Cheshire with her partner, Sam, 30, a joiner, and their son, Archie, 0 months. She says:
We were in a cafe on a break in the Lake District last month when Archie pulled a cup of coffee over and the hot drink scalded his legs.
you never think something like that will happen to you, and had it happened two weeks earlier, I’d have frozen in panic, looking for someone to help me. fortunately, a week before the accident I’d been to a mini first aid class in warrington, where I’d learned basics such as CPR and how to treat burns.
I’d nipped to the bathroom after ordering drinks, and my partner, sam, had taken our drinks and Archie to a table outside. when I returned a minute later, I found Archie screaming and sam had jumped out of his seat.
I knew immediately what had happened, and grabbed Archie and ran to the bathroom. I yelled to sam to bring the nappy bag as I had packed a simple first aid kit.
I got him under the water with all his clothes on for a bit before I tried to take his clothes off. I learned on the course that if it’s a bad burn the clothes will be stuck to it, so taking them off can take the skin off too. I got his legs under the cold water for a while before I tried to take his trousers off.
THANKFULLY his trousers had protected most of his legs. But his ankles had been exposed and were red and swollen. I put Archie’s legs back under the cold water. he was being sick and screaming in pain but I was surprisingly composed as I tried to calm him. I kept Archie under the cold water for about 20 minutes, while sam went to get the car to take him to hospital. when sam arrived, I took Archie out of the sink, applied burn gel on his ankles and covered them loosely in cling film. I’d learned that it was important to keep the burn clean, so I asked the cafe staff for the cling film — they
looked a bit confused. then we got him in the car; this all happened within half an hour of the coffee being spilt.
the 40-minute journey to hospital seemed so long — I remained calm but Archie was crying and I had to stop him touching his legs.
when we got to the hospital, Archie had calmed down. the nurses checked his ankles, which were still red, but they said I’d done all the right things. Cooling the skin had really helped and he didn’t need to be admitted.
the burn covered a 5cm diameter on both ankles. they bandaged him up and we were told to come back every 48 hours to check the wound. A week later, they took the bandages off and Archie has healed incredibly well.
the hospital staff said that everything I’d done had helped prevent scarring.
It was only after we’d come out of hospital that first time that I broke down in tears, the emotion of it hitting me. But I’m so thankful I took that first aid course.
I’d seen an advert on facebook that it was taking place at the local church and it was only £20 for a two-hour course. I’d always wanted to do one, but when I checked they were always too expensive.
I don’t like to think what would have happened if I hadn’t done it. the hospital staff said that by keepinge him under the cold water for 20 minutes, I’d ensured the burn hadn’t gone into the deeper layers of the skin.
And now the skin looks normal and Archie is toddling about happy as ever.
TREATING BURNS AND SCALDS
Burns and scalds are damage to the skin caused by heat. A burn is usually caused by dry heat, such as from the sun or a hot iron. A scald is caused by wet heat, such as steam or a hot cup of tea. One of the most common causes of burns in children is accidentally scalding themselves with a hot drink. This can be very serious for a very young child because of the relative size of the surface area involved.
SYMPTOMS
Red skin Swelling The skin may appear white or scorched, and may peel
Blisters may form later on
WHAT TO DO
Move the casualty away from the source of heat immediately. start cooling the burn as quickly as possible. run it under cool water for at least ten minutes.
Don’t use ice, creams or gels — these can damage tissues and increase risk of infection.
Assess how bad the burn is. It is serious if it is: • larger than the size of the casualty’s hand • on the face, hands or feet • a deep burn For a serious burn, call 999 or 112 for emergency medical help. If in doubt, seek medical advice.
remove any clothing near the burn (unless it is stuck to it).
Cover the burned area with cling film or another clean, nonfluffy material, such as a clean plastic bag. This will protect it from infection.
If necessary, treat for shock as detailed below (shock is a lifethreatening condition, not to be confused with emotional shock).
SHOCK
A CHILD suffering a serious burn or scald will develop shock, which is a potentially life-threatening condition requiring urgent medical intervention.
WHAT TO DO
After tending the burn and calling 999, lay the child down with their legs raised to improve blood supply to their vital organs.
Cover them (excluding any burnt areas) to keep them warm.
loosen tight clothing to avoid constricting the blood flow around the body.
Try to encourage them to keep calm and breathe regularly.
If they become unresponsive, perform CPR (see right).