anyone's child had deeper than superficial burns?

[vannah]

My 18 month old dd is on day 10 after a horrific accident involving a saucepan of boiling water. The burns are all mid-partial (not superficial partial) but a couple of patches a deeper where the skin looks white and is not 'healing'. been advised that this may need skin grafting and dreading that.
Bandages are off, the white areas are now covered with silicone plasters and a dab of flamazine (silver cream).

We go back to the burns unit every 3 days to change plasters but are wondering if there is anything we can do ourselves to encourage healing of the deep white areas? Ive read about flamazine, though preventing infection can actually hinder healing. And that some experiments have been carried out with honey instead, with more success. any experience of alternative care? We are too nervous to 'experiment' ourselves...

Diet wise giving her lots of protein, red meat, eggs cheese, and vit c rich fruit. Anything else crucial to speed healing?

also do you know how often the plasters should be changed? the nurses are very non-commital and say change them if you want to, else leave them soggy and smelly till the next visit. I have no idea what to do.

any advice really appreciated
thankyou

[BalloonSlayer]

I have just found this thread vannah, as I was looking for advice on appendicitis symptoms for my DS1, who is now a strapping 9 year old.

He had a bad scald from hot coffee, on his upper arm, at 18 months old. I wasn't present when it happened. DH was, and was a wreck. He still can't talk about it without crying.

DS spent a while on the burns unit but I can't remember exactly what treatment he had (DH supervised it as I had just had a baby).

He had to wear the pressure garment ( a sleeve with a long strap) for 2 years . . . I too remember the despair I felt when told how long it would be. The appointments were and fittings were interminable, luckily for us we live quite near the regional burns unit. Now it all seems like a dream, something we had to do for a few months.

I was never able to massage the scar as much as we were supposed to - he hated it being done, and I had a small baby/toddler, there never seemed to be time, it was always 'hopefully I'll have more time tomorrow.' Obviously I feel bad about that now. He now has a bumpy scar on his upper arm. He's not bothered by it.

We were told when he was 5, that they could do an operation to cut out the worst of the lumpy bits and join the scar together, so that he would have just one thin scar. We decided that, at that time, to have it done would be "for us" rather than "for him" so are waiting to see whether he mentions anything about it as he gets older. He hasn't yet. We are a hairy family so I expect it won't show too much as an adult.

You do have my sympathy. It was a terrible time, and I am almost in tears thinking of other families going through the same sort of thing.

When it happened, someone said to me: "He will get better and because he is so young, he won't remember any of it." And that was true. Just hang on to it.

[vannah]

thankyou balloonslayer. Read your post with real sadness. Thankyou for the kind words, but i have to say i am shocked at why he still has a bumpy scar even though he wore the garment for 2 years!! So how effective do you actually think the garment was? Did you question this at the end of the 2 years? Or was it really down to lack of massage?

Our hospital is an hour and half drive away, its a nightmare...

[BalloonSlayer]

I do think it was down to the lack of massage, yes, Vanna.

If we'd had the time again . . . but if we'd had that time again a lot of things would be different, as I am sure you know.

It's all shit really. We are through it now, but you are still in it. I wish I could help. UnMumsnet hug ((((( )))))

[vannah]

manythanks balloonslayer, hope your young man turns out to be truly hairy!!!
xx