By Garry Perkins, former Foster Carer and Paramedic, and Founder of Sussex First Aid Courses Ltd
As parents, grandparents and carers, we spend so much of our time trying to keep the children in our care safe. Yet some accidents happen in a matter of seconds.
A cup of tea pulled from a table, hot bath water, a saucepan on the cooker, an oven door, hair straighteners or even a hot drink sitting innocently on the side can cause a painful burn or scald.
Having spent over 35 years working in emergency care as a paramedic, as well as having been a foster carer myself, I know how frightening it can be when a child is injured. In those first few moments it is very easy to panic.
But when it comes to a burn or scald, there is one simple number I would like every parent, carer and grandparent to remember:
20 minutes
Current first aid guidance is to place a burn or scald under cool running water for 20 minutes.
Not two minutes.
Not until the child says it feels a little better.
A full 20 minutes of cooling.
It may feel like a surprisingly long time when you have an upset or crying child in front of you, but those 20 minutes really matter.
Cooling a burn helps to reduce pain and swelling and can help limit the effects of the injury. The sooner effective cooling is started, the better.
What should you do?
If a child – or an adult – suffers a burn or scald:
Cool it: Place the affected area under cool running water for 20 minutes.
Cool the burn, not the patient: This is something I regularly emphasise during first aid training. We want to cool the injured area effectively, but we do not want the whole person to become cold and develop hypothermia. This is particularly important with babies, young children, older people and anyone with a large burn. Keep the rest of the casualty warm and dry while continuing to cool the burn.
Remove jewellery or loose clothing: If possible, gently remove clothing, watches, jewellery or other items close to the burn before swelling develops. However, never pull away clothing or material that has stuck to the skin.
Cover it: Once the burn has been cooled, it can be loosely covered with cling film. Lay the cling film over the burn rather than wrapping it tightly around a limb.
Get help when needed: If you are concerned about the burn, seek medical advice. Serious, large or deep burns, burns to areas such as the face or genital area, and electrical or chemical burns require urgent medical attention.
If you are unsure what to do, NHS 111 can advise you. In a serious or life-threatening emergency, call 999.
Please don’t reach for the butter
Over my years in emergency care I have heard many home remedies for burns.
Butter, oils, toothpaste and creams should not be put onto a fresh burn. They do not provide the prolonged cooling that the damaged tissue needs and can make subsequent assessment and treatment more difficult.
Ice should not be applied directly to a burn either.
Remember the simple message:
Cool running water. 20 minutes
And just as importantly:
Cool the burn – not the patient
Keep the rest of the person warm while you cool the injured area. We want to treat the burn effectively without causing the casualty’s overall body temperature to fall.
Prevention matters – but preparation matters too
Of course, preventing an accident is always preferable. Hot drinks are a particular risk around young children. A toddler can reach much further than we sometimes expect, and something as ordinary as a freshly made cup of tea can cause a significant scald.
But even in the most careful household, accidents can happen.
That is why I believe first aid is such an important life skill for parents, foster carers, grandparents and anyone who regularly looks after children.
You do not need to be a doctor, nurse or paramedic to make a difference.
Sometimes good first aid comes down to remembering one simple action and having the confidence to do it properly.
For burns and scalds, that action is 20 minutes of cooling under running water while keeping the rest of the casualty warm.
I often say during our first aid training that we learn these skills hoping we will never have to use them. But if the day comes when your child, grandchild or somebody else’s child needs your help, having that knowledge can turn panic into purposeful action.
So perhaps there are two things worth sharing with your family today:
Cool the burn under running water for 20 minutes.
Cool the burn – not the patient.
Twenty minutes is easy to remember – and in an emergency, knowing what to do can make a real difference.
Garry Perkins
Former Foster Carer and Paramedic with over 35 years’ experience in emergency care
Director & Founder, Sussex First Aid Courses Ltd
