Can anyone help? Toddler scald injury...

[AbsolutelyDistraught]

Just wondering if anyone has had similar experiences that will put my mind at rest. We were at a family member's house over the weekend and a cup of tea was left unattended (so so stupid of her, but that's a whole other topic!) My DS (22 months) upset it and now has deep partial thickness burns to his entire right arm (est. 6% of his body surface area).

We're being seen by a consultant at Chelsea & Westminster, who is recommending we wait a few more days, to determine the best course of action - skin grafts are inevitable but some small areas may heal spontaneously.

The consultant didn't mention it but I've also read about a treatment called Recell (spray on skin) that has worked in similar cases - I'll ask about this at our next appointment.

I don't know what I need really. I'm still replaying the incident in my head over and over, wishing it could have turned out differently, and thinking how this should never have happened to my son. But if there's anyone else that has been through this and come out the other end sane and well, that would be such a comfort right now. I don't really have anyone to talk to - my DH is similarly in pieces about it, and I don't want to be constantly bringing him down.

My son's actually quite happy other than when the dressings are changed, and when he sees us crying, so I'm trying to be strong for him but it's so so hard. But how I feel is completely secondary to the burn itself. I desperately want for it to be better - to minimise the pain and long-term scarring. Any advice?

(Sorry, that turned out longer than I hoped - thanks for reading).

Ok-I was obviously exhausted when I wrote this yesterday as was thinking it was started this month. In that case-is anyone able to say how their babies are now? Pp?

Absolutely distraught, the exact same thing has just happened to me. Could you please tell me what the outcome was?

Just adding to this thread as 2 weeks ago I was frantically searching the web for reassurance as my little girl (23mo) has pulled a freshly poured cup of tea down from the kitchen worktop onto her chest and arm. We got her under cold running water straight away and thankfully her clothes came off easily enough, but her skin was just bubbling off in large blisters under the flow of the water. They were the most awful 20 minutes of my life.

At the burns unit at Chelsea and Westminster they cleaned and dressed it and told us they had several concerns 1. That the burn went the whole way around the circumference of her arm which could lead to complications with blood flow to her hand 2. There were three patches each the size of a 50p piece that may require grafts. She had around 5% burns (size of palm of patients hand is 1%) The first dressing change was horrific, painful for her and the burns looked worse (as they take a few days to ‘declare themselves’ according to the doc).
The second dressings change, 5 days after the burn, was miraculous. She no longer looked like she’d been skinned, it just looked pink and raw. 10 days after the burn she just had two plasters on some nasty patches, and 16 days after the initial burn she is dressings-free and can go back to her normal routine including swimming! I can’t believe it. Just have to moisturise the skin and protect it from the sun, and then should be no scarring as it’s healed within 3 weeks.
Just wanted to post to reassure anyone who was in my position two weeks ago, my heart goes out to you if you are x

I know this post is old but I also know the horrible feeling one feels when their baby is burned and are desperate looking for answers online. My DD burned herself with an iron on her face, left cheek almost 6 months ago. Still not a day has gone by that I don’t relive that day, what I could’ve done different (like rinse it longer, not even sure how long I did because I was in shock and she was screaming), or how I should’ve driven her straight to the burn unit instead of a local hospital. Nearly 6 months and this has changed our lives in so many ways. We were told by numerous doctors that it was superficial and no scarring expected. However I still see a raised line around the edges and it has some days where it’s still so pink. Other days you can barely see it but I know it’s there. We have avoided any direct sun which is so hard as I feel she’s missed so much like going to the beach, park, and other activities children her. I try to think of how much worse it could’ve been on those bad days. I pray for us that time continues to heal our babies and hearts. If any of you see this, I know it’s been years but could you tell me if gets easier? Does the scarring or pigmentation continue to heal with time? If so, does the pink skin actually go away? If my DD sleeps on that side of her face it gets so red, and any little thing like rubbing etc also causes it to get so agitated and we are going on 6 months. These are questions doctors simply don’t answer for some reason and just say to give it more time.

Just it's easier for you to see it because you know exactly where it is. If it's showing that little 6 months later, then I doubt anyone except you will be able to tell at all.

I burnt my arm when I was about 10yo on an iron when my brother ran into me when I was ironing. I didn't tell anyone because I thought I'd be stopped from ironing (wouldn't mind that now! But I had a lot of hama beads I was trying to do). It was still clearly there after 6 months, and even a couple of years later the skin was sort of shiny.
I now can see the outline where it was in certain lights, but no one else can even if I point it out.

However what I will say is that if your dd is left with a scar, the way she feels about it will come from you. My dd2 was born without a hand. Obviously people ask about it. If you treat it as a "oh this happened" matter of fact then children generally accept it and move on.
So let it be a little story you tell. Don't give her the guilt about how if you'd done this that or the other it might have been better. You did everything in good faith. Give it as fact, with a little bit of detail to her. "When you were 18 months, you always wanted to see what I was doing. I was ironing, and you wanted to join in, because you always wanted to help..."
Often these little stories can actually become their favourite stories and they can be very proud of them.

But also I have a scar on my nose. I think it's pretty obvious. It's just at the top-looks a bit like I wear glasses (I don't) and have just taken a heavy pair off. I remember getting it-I was 3 when a heavy ornament fell on me from a book case. I remember screaming, but not actually being in pain, I have no trauma attached to the incident. No one has ever noticed it without me pointing it out, and even then people have sometimes asked if I'm sure it's a scar rather than just a natural crease of skin.

My 2 year old managed to pour boiling hot soup over herself 4 months ago.
It was from the stove and I but it into two bowls with hers on a tray.
Thought I'd put it far enough back so she couldn't reach but she managed to grap the edge of the tray and pull it.
On her face,neck,shoulder and chest.
I put her in the shower with cool water and phoned 999.
We were taken to local hospital where they dressed and made arrangements to go to a burns hospital the next day.
She had 6% burns and some partial thickness, some superficial.
A few patches were quite white so they was worried.
Had to have it dressed every other day, and she did end up really poorly in hospital on iv antibiotics because it got infected.
Now it is slightly white can only see it if you know it's there.
And it does go red when she is Ill, or is hot and esp at the end of the day when tiered.

Justamom0404 please try not to blame yourself, I know it's hard I felt incredibly guilty at the time.
It's so so common unfortunately and accidents do happen.

Good morning Dahlen,
I hope this message reaches you. I feel very comforted by your post. My daughter has also suffered a scald to her face, arm and chest and wondered what you did and used on the burn as aftercare.

Thank you.

Hello, I have just read your story and am now living through your nightmare. My daughter pulled the kettle off the kitchen side and suffered the same injury to her arm. This happened 8 weeks ago and we are now on the road to recovery. I hope you got through everything ok and it's now a distant memory!
Please can I ask some advice on what you used and what scarring your child was left with. Any help or advice is much appreciated. Love from a desperate mother in need ❤️