Burns and Electric Shock - Home Treatment

Most minor burns will heal on their own, and home treatment is usually all that is needed to relieve your
symptoms and promote healing. But if you suspect you may have a more severe injury, use first-aid
measures while you arrange for an evaluation by your doctor.

Immediate first aid for burns

 First, stop the burning to prevent a more severe burn.
o Heat burns (thermal burns): Smother any flames by covering them with a blanket or
water. If your clothing catches fire, do not run: stop, drop, and roll on the ground to
smother the flames.
o Cold temperature burns: Try first aid measures to warm the areas. Small areas of your
body (ears, face, nose, fingers, toes) that are really cold or frozen can be warmed by
blowing warm air on them, tucking them inside your clothing or putting them in warm
water.
o Liquid scald burns (thermal burns): Run cool tap water over the burn for 10 to 20 minutes.
Do not use ice.
o Electrical burns: After the person has been separated from the electrical source, check
for breathing and a heartbeat. If the person is not breathing or does not have a heartbeat,
call 911.
o Chemical burns: Natural foods such as chili peppers, which contain a substance irritating
to the skin, can cause a burning sensation. When a chemical burn occurs, find out what
chemical caused the burn. Call your local Poison Control Center or the National
Poison Control Hotline (1-800-222-1222) for more information about how to treat the
burn.
o Tar or hot plastic burns: Immediately run cold water over the hot tar or hot plastic to cool
the tar or plastic.
 Next, look for other injuries. The burn may not be the only injury.
 Remove any jewelry or clothing at the site of the burn. If clothing is stuck to the burn, do not
remove it. Carefully cut around the stuck fabric to remove loose fabric. Remove all jewelry,
because it may be hard to remove it later if swelling occurs.

Prepare for an evaluation by a doctor

If you are going to see your doctor soon:

 Cover the burn with a clean, dry cloth to reduce the risk of infection.
 Do not put any salve or medicine on the burned area, so your doctor can properly assess your
burn.
 Do not put ice or butter on the burned area, because these measures do not help and can
damage the skin tissue.
Cut or Scrape

Heather Weston

Act Fast: If there's bleeding, first press firmly over the site with a clean cloth until it
stops, anywhere from three to 15 minutes. Clean under lukewarm running water and
gently pat dry. When a wound is dirty or was caused by an animal scratch, rinse it with
water and gently lather with soap. If the skin is broken, apply a thin layer of an over-the-
counter antibiotic ointment (like Neosporin or Bacitracin), then cover with a bandage or
gauze and adhesive tape. If you can't control the bleeding after several attempts with
direct pressure, call your pediatrician or 911, or head to an E.R. If a large piece of skin
has been removed, wrap it in a clean, moist cloth and place it in a bag over ice -- a
doctor may be able to reattach it. An animal bite that has caused a deep cut should be
seen by a doctor.

Follow-Up Care: Dab on the anti-biotic ointment and apply a new bandage daily (or
twice daily, if it's a large or deep wound) until the cut heals, so your child can't pick at it.
If it appears to be forming or draining pus or becomes swollen, tender, or red, see a
doctor right away to treat the infection. After the wound heals, slather on SPF 30 until it
starts to fade, because newly healed skin can sunburn more easily, making any
eventual scar more noticeable.
Burn

Act Fast: Immediately hold under cool running water or apply a cold, wet towel until the
pain subsides. Cover any small blisters with a loose bandage or gauze and tape; call a
doctor as soon as possible if burns are on the face, hands, or genitals, or if they're
larger than 1/4 inch anywhere on the body. If the burn looks deep -- the skin may be
white or brown and dry -- go to the E.R. For a burn covering a tenth of the body or more,
don't use cold compresses; call 911 and cover the child with a clean sheet or a blanket
to prevent hypothermia until help arrives.

Follow-Up Care: Don't pop any blisters yourself. If the skin breaks, apply an anti-biotic
cream and cover the area with a bandage or gauze and tape until it's healed. Watch for
any redness, swelling, tenderness, or discharge -- all signs of infection.

Did You Know? Scalds, from hot foods or liquids, are the most common burn injury in
children ages 6 months to 2 years.

Nosebleed

Act Fast: Have your child sit upright, but don't tilt her head back. Loosen any tight
clothing around her neck. Pinch the lower end of her nose close to the nostrils and have
her lean forward while you apply pressure continuously for five to ten minutes. Don't
release and check the nose; it could prolong the bleeding.

Follow-Up Care: If the nosebleed is the result of a trauma, reduce swelling by holding
an ice pack against the bridge of the nose after the bleeding slows down. If it persists
after ten minutes or returns later, call your doctor or go to the E.R. to check for a break.

Splinter or Glass

Act Fast: Use soap and water to wash around the splinter. Clean a pair of tweezers
with rubbing alcohol and slowly pull the splinter out. Wash the skin again. When a
splinter is hard to remove, leave it for a day or so to see whether it comes out on its
own. If your child steps on a piece of glass, and it's not a single shard you can easily
remove, gently wrap a clean cloth around the area and go to the E.R. Ask your doctor
about an X-ray even if you think you've gotten the glass out; scans often find shards that
can lead to infection.
Follow-Up Care: If the splinter isn't out after a few days or is causing your child pain,
turning red, or has pus, see your doctor to have it removed safely.

Eye Trauma

Act Fast: When your child has severe pain, constant tearing, light sensitivity, or blurry
vision after being poked or hit in the eye, hold a cool, wet cloth over the area and head
to the E.R. He may have a scratch on the eye's surface, which is treated with
prescription drops or ointment and usually heals within 48 hours. If a chemical has been
splashed in his eye, hold the lid open and flush with lukewarm water and call Poison
Control (800-222-1222).

Follow-Up Care: Monitor your child for pain and vision problems in the weeks that
follow a poked eye. These could be a sign of traumatic iritis, an inflammation of the
colored part of the eye, or a deeper injury.

Insect Bite or Sting

Act Fast: If the insect left a stinger, gently scrape the skin with your fingernail or a credit
card to remove it without breaking it. (Using tweezers can squeeze out more venom.)
Call 911 if your child has trouble breathing, is coughing, or develops a hoarse voice,
hives, or swollen lips or tongue.

Follow-Up Care: For itching, hold a cold compress over the area for a minute, or apply
calamine lotion or a 1% hydrocortisone cream or topical antihistamine (if the skin isn't
broken or scabbed). Contact your doc if you suspect a tick bite. He may want to test for
Lyme and other tick-borne diseases.

Did You Know? Bites and stings are the third most common accident seen in the E.R.
among kids 4 and under.

If an animal bites you or your child, follow these guidelines:

 For minor wounds. If the bite barely breaks the skin and there's no danger of
rabies, treat it as a minor wound. Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water.
Apply an antibiotic cream to prevent infection and cover the bite with a clean
bandage.
 For deep wounds. If the animal bite creates a deep puncture of the skin or the skin
is badly torn and bleeding, apply pressure with a clean, dry cloth to stop the bleeding
and see your doctor.
 For infection. If you notice signs of infection, such as swelling, redness, increased
pain or oozing, see your doctor immediately.
 For suspected rabies. If you suspect the bite was caused by an animal that might
carry rabies — including any wild or domestic animal of unknown immunization
status, particularly bats — see your doctor immediately.
Doctors recommend getting a tetanus shot every 10 years. If your last one was more
than five years ago and your wound is deep or dirty, your doctor may recommend a
booster. Get the booster as soon as possible after the injury.

Domestic pets cause most animal bites. Dogs are more likely to bite than cats. Cat
bites, however, are more likely to cause infection because they are usually puncture
wounds and can't be thoroughly cleaned. Bites from nonimmunized domestic animals
and wild animals carry the risk of rabies. Rabies is more common in bats, raccoons,
skunks and foxes than in cats and dogs. Rabbits, squirrels and other rodents rarely
carry rabies.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that children or adults
exposed to bats, or who are sleeping and discover bats present, seek medical advice,
even if they don't think they've been bitten. This is because bat bite marks can be hard
to see.

Seek prompt attention if:

 The wound is a deep puncture or you're not sure how serious it is.
 The skin is badly torn and bleeding significantly — first apply pressure with a
bandage or clean cloth to stop the bleeding.
 You notice increasing swelling, redness, pain or oozing, which are warning signs of
infection.
 You have questions about your risk of rabies or about rabies prevention. If the bite
was caused by a cat or a dog, try to confirm that its rabies vaccination is up to date.
If the bite was caused by a wild animal, seek advice from your doctor about which
animals are most likely to carry rabies.

Bats often carry rabies. And people have been infected without obvious signs of a
bite. This is why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that
people in contact with bats — or even those who are sleeping and awaken to find a
bat in the bedroom — seek medical advice about rabies shots, even if they don't
think they've been bitten.
  You haven't had a tetanus shot in the past five years and the wound is deep or dirty.
You may need a booster shot.

 Someone is drowning

1. Get Help
 Notify a lifeguard, if one is close. If not, ask someone to call 911.
 If you are alone, follow the steps below.

2. Move the Person

 Take the person out of the water.

3. Check for Breathing

 Place your ear next to the person's mouth and nose. Do you feel air on your cheek?
 Look to see if the person's chest is moving.

4. If the Person is Not Breathing, Check Pulse

 Check the person's pulse for 10 seconds.

5. If There is No Pulse, Start CPR

Carefully place person on back.

 For an adult or child, place the heel of one hand on the center of the chest at the nipple
line. You can also push with one hand on top of the other. For an infant, place two
fingers on the breastbone.
 For an adult or child, press down about 2 inches. Make sure not to press on ribs. For
an infant, press down about 1 and 1/2 inches. Make sure not to press on the end of the
breastbone.
 Do 30 chest compressions, at the rate of 100 per minute or more. Let the chest rise
completely between pushes.
 Check to see if the person has started breathing.
Note that these instructions are not meant to replace CPR training. Classes are
available through the American Red Cross, local hospitals, and other organizations.

6. Repeat if Person Is Still Not Breathing

 If you've been trained in CPR, you can now open the airway by tilting the head back and
lifting the chin.
 Pinch the nose of the victim closed. Take a normal breath, cover the victim's mouth with
yours to create an airtight seal, and then give 2 one-second breaths as you watch for
the chest to rise.
 Give 2 breaths followed by 30 chest compressions.
 Continue this cycle of 30 compressions and 2 breaths until the person starts breathing
or emergency help arrives.