children with burns ?

[Hissy]

DS (8) got burnt last week, (boiling hot water, superficial/partial burns to 13% of his body) he's had 2 operations, 2nd one is successful so far, he's improving day by day. No pain, walking getting better etc. we're still in hospital, but probably due to leave sometime next week.

I think i've got most of my head around a lot of the accident, ds and I talk about it if he wants to, and he knows that there will be some short term sacrifices he'll have to make, but that long term, it'll be ok, whatever happens) I have psychological services from the burns dept lined up for us both if we need it, but no idea really what awaits us once we're out. DS is truly amazing. It has been truly godawful at times for both of us, watching him in pain, being brave is excruciating.

I know that life will change for quite a while, (strict regime of moisturiser, no sun exposure for next 2 years etc) and further surgeries aren't ruled out.

I don't know anyone who's gone through anything like this, don't know what to expect, where to go to get information on how to help DS recover as best is possible.

Everyone here is awesome, i'm hoping those on the outside will be so too.

Does anyone have any experience/guidance etc?

No advice but lots of sympathy xx

Thanks so much! Very kind!

Hullo Hissy

How are things?

Going well! Thanks!

Bandages off today, they don't need to see him in clinic again! Already! Spent a fortune on super high sun protection creams/sprays etc today though! :)

I'm taking him for psychology support, and myself, as neither of us have any connection to anyone who's experienced this. I requested it during the most hideous part of it all, between ops, when op1 was beginning to fail. I think we're ok for now, but feel that i'm certainly bottling a lot of it up as I still feel emotional if I talk about some of it.

Ds is back to school as of Monday. I'll get him off PE for a week though, just so he doesn't over tire himself, but week 2, he'll be fine i'm sure if going by what he achieved today :)

He's awesome, I so admire him, and am so proud of him!

This time 2 weeks ago was a completely different time...

Awesome kid and you ain't too shabby either

Psychological support would really help you all to process what happened I bet (no experience sorry)

I'm so sorry you are going through this, it sounds really tough. Definitely take any psychological support offered. It's still early days and there is a lot for you to process

Hi Hissy - its only a small thing but did you know you can get the suncream on prescription for your son? Have a word with GP and they should be able to help straight away. Hope being back at school will help get things back to 'normal' soon. Best wishes to you both. x

Thanks all.

The psych support is there for us whenever we need it, for as long as we need it. For one, or either of us.

I think i'll postpone the appointment this week. It might be better for us to get into a 'normal' routine, let things just settle for a bit and then see where we are. The session was something I asked for when I got absolutely side-swiped by the enormity of it all, after the shock subsided a bit, but before the 2nd op.

I think i'm ok for now, we're just so relieved to be home, he's healing beautifully. He's great at talking about his feelings with me, he said he prefers to talk to me first.

I think we'll take things slowly for a while and see where we get to.

grass thanks for the prescription thing! I'll look into that! I need to re-book an appointment I had to cancel due to being in hospital, i'll get that back in the diary!

Wish I could get the bath water on prescription, his need for daily baths is gonna hit my water meter hard!

DS has been running around all weekend, he's tired, but he's managed well enough. I'm really confident that he's ok for school tomorrow. I'll go in with him and talk to the teacher etc,

Fingers crossed that back to school this week went well

He's done brilliantly! Doing really well, happy to be in school, remembered his sun cream, got his head around the bathing every day and creams etc.

Flaming hayfever has got him again though, clogging his nose and giving him the multiple nosebleeds again, which is why all this started in the first place :(

Appointment booked for Wednesday. Will buy bucketloads of salt on standby to get the blood out of sheets etc!

Hurrah!

Boo for hayfever/nosebleeds, not nice.

He sounds like he's coping amazingly. Kids are so resilient.

My brother got terribly burnt 35 years ago and my mum still feels guilty although it wasn't her fault at all. He's completely fine by the way. Scars have faded and part of his life story.

My DS was scalded with hot tea at 18 months (hr pulled it over himself) he had superficial burns to 10% of his body (face, torso, arm, leg and foot) and 2nd degree burns to 2% on his torso. He was lucky in that he didn't need surgery. We also went through the daily baths, hours spent moisturising and keeping him out of the sun. We bought him a UV suit and hat to help him. Hes 8 now and you would never know it had happened. He bears no scars, and he was young enough not to remember it. I'll never forget it though, we were never offered anything like pysch support, so its good that you have something in place to help. Good to hear that hes doing well, it always amazes me how quickly children bounce back

I have to say that my ds is the most amazing person I know. He's so strong, mentally and physically. Told him yesterday how much I admire him, and am proud of him.

I think he'll remember a lot of what he's been through, perhaps only the sad bits will fade.

He's been so incredibly touched at how wonderful people have been to him, he's so thankful for all the cards and gifts he got, for the people that came miles to see him and the wonderful hospital staff.

Slimjim, thanks so much, that does help to know. I'm told he'll be ok, no scarring, and ds is old enough to understand the need for everything we have to do. I'm sure that'll help us get him to where we'd like him to be.

Have bought him a load of surfer dude rash shirts for summer hols/swimming lessons, luckily we're off to a surfing hotspot so he'll fit right in! :D

We had the wing to ourselves the whole time we were there, and while it meant we had no-one to compare him with, so to me he was as serious as it could get, even if the nurses are used to way worse, I know that my heart would have utterly broken if I saw a teeny one with burns as big as 10%.

Poor you! How terrible that must have been. They're so fragile and tiny.

I wish I could unsee so much of it. The only thing I have to keep reminding myself of was that due to getting him under the shower within seconds, and a wet towel while I called the ambulance, the damage was dramatically reduced, and his stay in hospital was shorter. That helps. The paramedics said this, the registrar, doctors and nurses too.

I have to say I so missed cuddling him, when I got my hug after about a week, it was so nice! We cuddled every day before the accident, when his tummy is a bit less sensitive i'll be huggling him like mad.

I'm confident for him for the future, each day gets easier, each day is a day closer to being scar free.

Good news. Water bill's come in, clearly I was being charged too highly so my payments per month until the next year will be £4.00!

There's a lady on here whose child got burnt by a BBQ in the garden, she's had a lot of struggles and support and I am sure someone else can give you her name!
She might have some advice/like some mutual support

I know who you mean, I remember her thread, Altin-something, it was a year or so ago. Terrible time for everyone.

Haven't seen her around for ages though, maybe she's on a namechange.

Child in DS's class was burnt badly last yr. Probably worse than you describe for your boy. Seems to be recovering well. Kids are resilient. Best wishes.

Some water companies can give a discount if you have to use a lot of water for medical reasons, I'd check yours.

Oh gosh and I didn't even give you any sympathy myself!!

Poor DS, you feel awful when they fall over, let alone burns :(

Altinkum is the poster I think?

I couldn't even watch ds climb trees fgs! It makes my tummy/womb do somersaults! Excruciating!

Am also reigning Queen of Squeam. I had to lie down when Registrar was explaining the 1st operation they were going to do to clean and dress his burns.

I've toughened up now, but it all looks better and I know he didn't feel any/much pain.

Qod, that's her! I thought that was it, but doubted myself in spelling it properly :)

There's a Burn Camp in August, for children who have suffered burns. It's while we're away sadly, but there are groups and activities available.

That took some hard lump in throat swallowing, I can tell you. Realising that I was the mother of a burned child. That was at the hardest bit, when the 1st op wasn't working, and the enormity of it all started to hit me.

DS said he might like to go to a group with other children who had been burned, so he'd have things in common, and they'd understand him and he them.

Again, early days, we are both a bit isolated in all of this, in time we'll get some things in place I hope.

hissy yes it was a very rough time. Like you, we minimised his damage by getting straight under cold water. He was in the kitchen when it happened, and small enough to be sat in the sink. We took him to hospital in a wet towel and his nappy. They dressed him in a paraffin dressing which made a huge difference. You sound like you're holding up exceptionally well, I hope his scars heal quickly

Thanks. :)

Well done to you too, for making such a difference! It's heartening some how, isn't it. Doesn't change what happened, an accident's an accident, but knowing we helped minimise it is helpful to us, and them if they are conscious of that.

I think we'll be ok, we are both very resilient and have each other, we talk, I ask him how he's doing, and if he ever needs to talk, he can any time, with me or a therapist. I tell him that it's ok NOT to be ok about stuff sometimes.

Time will tell, but he has always surpassed my expectations of him, always surprised me in good ways, so i'm putting faith in that nothing will change for this situation too.

I know that 10 years down the road, none of this will matter much any more. And 10 years flies.

Thanks so much to everyone taking the time to post and help, it's really appreciated.

:)

Another week has clicked by so fast - how are things going with your dear boy?

Another week on, he's pretty much his usual self. Albeit a bit more high maintenance, what with the baths and creams.

Flaming tummy has like sweat rash spots all over. Not on the burn, and not on his (worse burnt) legs though Think it's the polyester in the school shirt. Have ordered 100% small mens cotton ones.

This accident has cost a small fortune! :) will get some itch cream tomorrow, see it that helps.

Life is almost normal. He's started to talk about 'that night' which was a bit hard, for both of us, but it was ok in the end and gently, gently we'll get there. Healing takes time.

Thanks for thinking of us! Xx