Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think this is not good advice re Burns?

26 replies

Sonearyetsofar · 15/08/2011 15:45

My teenager has burnt herself with heated sugar today.

Her hand and face is blistered.

I took her to the minor injuries unit, where we were only seen by a 3rd year nurse, no other member of staff.

The hand has been covered with a dressing, and strapped up and put in a sling.

The face has been left, and I've been told to put vaseline on it every two hours.

And we are to return tomorrow.

Now my dd is in a lot of pain, despite being given ibprofen and paracetamol. So I googled to see what I should/could be doing.

Every website I have seen so far says do not put vaseline on a fresh burn, as it is putting fuel on the fire.

Anyone with any proper advice???

OP posts:
DeepPurple · 15/08/2011 15:47

I don't have any experience of this. I would call nhs direct for advice.
I hope your dd is ok.

MissPenteuth · 15/08/2011 15:48

Can you phone NHS Direct? It can take them a few hours to get back to you but at least that way you'd be speaking to a Nurse.

Original poster
Sonearyetsofar · 15/08/2011 15:49

Good advice on phone now.

OP posts:
Original poster
Sonearyetsofar · 15/08/2011 15:54

Ok they have advised wrapping it in clingfilm, but not the vaseline!

She was making cakes, I'm not turning her into a cake!

OP posts:
therugratref · 15/08/2011 15:54

Every child who has burns particularly to the face should see a plastic surgeon. I have recent experience of this as my DS sustained a nasty facial burn from hot marshmallow. I was not there when it happened and my DH was fobbed off in A&E in a district General hospital. I was at work and I spoke to one of my consultants who said he needed to be seen ASAP and in fact rang a mate who was a plastics guy who met my DH and son in A&E he was seen weekly in the clinic and required specialist dressings. Please get your DD seen as the proper treatment reduces the risk of scarring.

OhdearNigel · 15/08/2011 15:56

Vaseline ?????????? This sounds wrong on every level. The standard treatment is cold running water to try to cool down the affected area.
I used to be a pastry chef, have several scars from caramel burns on my hands and I recommend running under the cold tap for as long as she can bear it and keep on doing it. Face is obviously going to be trickier but I would suggest maybe something frozen (peas) wrapped in a towel or cling film to stop it sticking.

PIMSoclock · 15/08/2011 15:58

After the burn has been properly cooled, Vaseline is absolutely fine to use on burns.
Burns units usually use Vaseline impregnated dressings with antibacterial soaked swabs on top.
Facial burns need to be treated carefully due to risk of infection and scarring, so I am glad you are seeking qualified advice.
However I have concerns that you think you have been seen by a student with no supervision.
I would phone the unit and ask for clarification. A student nurse is absolutely not qualified to see treat and discharge a patient without supervision. This needs to be addressed ASAP as it could potentially put other patients in danger.
It may be that this was a qualified nurse working as a student nurse practitioner, but they would still require some level of supervision
Let me know how you get on. If it was a student you saw, I'll give you advise on how to take things further

Shitter · 15/08/2011 16:00

vaseline? YOu should call the hosp as the nurse is giving out the wrong advice and may well be doing it to others.
As a matter of interest wrt burns, i have just learned that it is now no longer advised to run burns under very cold water. now it should be tepid as the icy water has been known to send people into shock.

PissesGlitter · 15/08/2011 16:00

get her to the hospital and dont leave until you have seen a doctor and/or a burns specialist

hope she is ok

PIMSoclock · 15/08/2011 16:01

I'm confused as to why you have been told to apply cling film but no Vaseline?
Cling film as a first aid measure will help keep out infection, but a burn (after the initial coolin) needs moisture. Vaseline is a good treatment.
Who gave you the advice?
How big/deep is the burn?

pointydog · 15/08/2011 16:04

AH, I thought this was about Robert Burns.

Phone nhs 24.

PUMBA · 15/08/2011 16:36

ok i confess to working in peadiatric burns ........ no vasaline as it will hold the heat in the burn, normally use a water based cooling dressing first, you don't say how big the burn is but as a rough guide anything bigger than a penny should be reviewed by plastic/burn team .......................runs off to hide before everyone shoots me down..

PUMBA · 15/08/2011 16:40

just seen the clingfilm comment don't do it unless its properly clean otherwise you will end up with a soggy smelly infected burn.... not trying to be difficult just i see far to many kids with burns infected . my best advice would be if your concerned grab a good book and head to a and e to see a specialist...

VelveteenRabbit · 15/08/2011 16:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

GirlWithALlamaTattoo · 15/08/2011 16:49

This may be out of date, but the explanation I was given on a Red Cross course was this: you should not put anything except water on a fresh burn because medical staff may need to get it off to examine and treat the injury, which would cause more pain and damage. Once the patient has been seen, that's no longer an issue.

I don't know about Vaseline specifically, but people upthread sound as though they know what they're talking about, and I'd guess that if you've been to see the nurse and come home again, the burn has had chance to cool down a bit.

If you're worried, a second opinion can't hurt, but it doesn't sound as though there's any need to panic.

Original poster
Sonearyetsofar · 15/08/2011 19:02

I managed to get her face looked at again, and the advice is def no vaseline whilst so fresh still.

Couple of days (old burn) vaseline fantastic.

OP posts:
applepies · 15/08/2011 20:07

if you want an immediate solution whilst you seek other advice then savlon do an absoutuely wonderful wound gel which is for use on burns, was very highly recommended by our pharmacist. DS 5 yrs had 2 burns the size of a 50p or more on his chest and within 2 weeks of applying and changing the gel and dressings it is COMPLETELY healed with abcolutely no scarring whatsoever.

The gel also removed ALL of the pain I was absolutely astonished.

gel available from pharmacy aisle (not pharmacy itself) in asda if that helps.

redexpat · 15/08/2011 21:57

My DH was burnt on his face due to a work accident not long ago, and once he'd had the dressing on and it came off we were told to apply vaseline. I think it's one of those things that goes in and out of fashion.

springboksaplenty · 15/08/2011 22:05

Son were you referred to a specialist burns unit? There are certain areas which definitely should be discussed and seen by plastics, and that includes hands and faces. I worked in a tertiary burns centre and we certainly would arrange to see her (not necessarily same day) but if she has blisters it is appropriate.

Personally I would have strong words with any medical professional who failed to follow what are nationally recognised referral guidelines. Let us know how you got on.

Original poster
Sonearyetsofar · 16/08/2011 18:36

Update - went to A&E who have redressed her hand which has unburst blisters all over it.

Face - blisters have now all burst, and have been advised not to do anything other than keep it clean, and if it becomes inflamed or starts oozing to take her back.

I'm to make an appointment with the practice nurse at GPs for Friday.

Have not seen anyone higher than a nurse.

How do I go about getting further up the chain?

TIA

OP posts:
PUMBA · 16/08/2011 19:37

surprised that you haven't been seen by a dr to be honest, i work with kids and burns and all hand and face burns are accessed as healing is so crucial........thats not to say the nurses advice isn't right though. i would just ask to see a doctor no one is going to mind , you are a concerned parent that wants the best for her daughter.

Original poster
Sonearyetsofar · 16/08/2011 19:42

May seem silly question - but where burns are concerned is 14 still treated as same method as children?

OP posts:
canyou · 16/08/2011 20:06

Sonearyetsofar, not really a silly question, all burns adult or child are treated the same for first aid ie cool down keep clean and if larger then a postage stamp blister seek medical help, usually at A&E as they have access to plastics/ burn units etc, Shock can be more severe in children as can burns so it is more important for them to be seen in a way. It is the next step of care that can be different.
OP vaseline is fab but only when healing has begun and the skin maybe tight, itchy and uncomfortable [I speak from experience of second and third degree hand burns]
Have you seen any DR? As someone up a long the thread has said they have fab Gels with pain relief and antiseptic properties that really help.

springboksaplenty · 16/08/2011 21:25

Really Son I don't mean to press the point (and I am sure that we probably wouldn't change management) but if it is a hand burn or a facial burn a referral or at the very least discussion with a burns centre is appropriate. I am surprised that this hasn't happened - especially if your daughter still has blisters (we normally deroof these). Can I ask how extensive is the burn to the hand? If the palm of her hand is 1% how much do you think is burnt on hand/face?

I don't mean to say that the burns centre will necessarily change how she is managed but there is a reason why these referral pathways have been set up and why experience is centred at particular units. It is an issue also that the message hasn't reached all quarters that advice should be sought for certain burns.

nenevomito · 16/08/2011 21:32

Feel a bit queasy reading this as DS had a burn. Will not go into it.

See if you can get hold of Flamazine ointment. It's a silver based ointment specifically for burns. Also, most pharmacies will sell Jellonet gel dressing for burns. This is a good stop-gap.

We got v bad advice from the A&E. We ended up at a hospital with a burns unit who actually knew what they were talking about. If you are concerned, see if you can find one and go there for proper assessment. Its worth the travel if you can as burns are nasty, nasty things.