Advice on dealing with a burn in 1 yr old

[Daffodilly]

DS (13 mths) grabbed hold of a hot radiator pipe this morning (I know, I am feeling awful). He screamed in pain so I rushed over and removed him (he was still holding on). Ran it under cold water for a few mins and then wrapped it in cold wet flannel - as he was screaming and wriggling too much to hold him at the sink.

It has now come up in large blisters across two of his fingers and part of his palm. It looks awful, turns my stomach every time I look at it.

He seems fine in himself and using hand OK, though complains a bit if it gets banged.

Question is what if anything I need to do now. Should it be dressed to keep it clean - he is crawling all around the floor on it?

Am off to put pipe lagging round the exposed radiator pipes now too....

I would have him checked out- he is in a vulnerable age group and it is an important area that he has injured. Easily done! Wee lamb!!

It needs lookiing at really. I'd take him to a+e and get him checked over.

Call NHS direct for advice or go to your local Walk in centre? If not then a trip to A&E but go prepared to wait for more urgent cases.

Hope he heals up quickly!

take him to A+E

a burn crossng joints or the palm of your hand is potentially disfiguring on such a young hand

just get him checked out...they will advise the best way to treat it on seeing it, we cannot advise you adequately

I think NHS Direct will give you the same route to follow

it should be quiet on a Sunday afternoon

Thanks for all advice - can never decide if I am being too alarmist or not. Have just called NHS Direct again (couldn't get through earlier) and they've also said it should be looked at.

So going to take him up to hospital as soon as he wakes from afternoon nap.

good luck x

Just wanted to say THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to everyone that gave such good advice.

I took DS in to local hospital this afternoon. They have dressed it and refered him to a proper burns unit due to size and location of blisters.

Am feeling like a totally crap Mummy for not only allowing him to get hurt, but that I was even considering NOT going in to hospital. Am such an idiot, I had no idea how serious it could be. Thank you again, glad I at least had the sense to ask some good Mums for their advice.

Now listen up and listen closely. You are not a crap Mum. Children have accidents, it happens. You can only try and prevent them but you won't always succeed. It happens and you will be here again.

The very fact that you are suffering on his behalf and so upset tells me everything I need to know about whether or not you are a good enough Mum.

They will treat the burn and he's getting good medical help. Your child was still crawling, still using his hand, happy etc. You used your instincts while checking with another source to see if you were missing something. Everything right imo. Just that this time the source told you some extra info you didn't know.

Please be kinder to yourself.

listen, love, you are not a bad mummy

we have all been there

how the heck did you think you could prevent your dc getting hold of a radiator pipe...is not like you left crack cocaine lying around the house !!

now many people are unaware how serious burns can be in such a young child

I only know that 'cos I recently worked in a childrens burns unit

when mine were little, I would have underplayed it too...just congratulate yourself you took advice and acted on it

he will be fine, you will be fine (until the next time he gives you a nasty shock ...)

Thank you both for your kind words. I am feeling a bit better for getting him into bed and having a LARGE glass of wine.

I suspect this will be just one of many trips to A&E with my little man over the years...

By the way, great tip from the nurse for anyone else that reads this - for children with burns on their hands fill a bowl with cold water and give them some toys to play in it. Encourages them to keep hands cold and in the water for ages!

ah yes, good idea

DD burnt her hand when she was 2 on the iron and needed a skin graft.

Once it starts to heal make sure he is moving his hand a lot ie plastacine becuase it helps to stop the scar tissue tightening the skin.

DD is 12 now and has a scar across the back of her hand but thankfully it never bothers her

DS2 fell in a bath when he was 15months old. I thought he was with DP and DP thought he was with me. I had just come home from being in hospital and run a bath. It had no cold water in it and the next thing i heard was this scream as if someone was murdering my baby. He climbed in and ended up with 23 % burns....he only just survived,it was touch and go for 10 days. I have never forgiven myself and he is now 17. Thankfully the only scars he has are on his wrist and ankles where the elastic in his pyjamas were. His screams still haunt me now.

when you or someone you know gets a burn, the best dressing to use is CLINGFILM, yes thats right i did say clingfilm lol. It will help blisters not to come up, until u get to the hospital so they can put on a dressing. i used it, its great

they used the clinfilm on DS2 but it is to stop infection and fluid loss as it acts like a skin covering. DS2 was mummified in it in the ambulance as all his skin literally just fell off and all we were left with was this raw tomato looking skin. The memory will not go away.

Good to hear you went&that he has had good care. You are defo not a bad mom! Also great that he is still crawling&doing his thig.

Get better soon wee man!

alypaly - you poor thing. I am not surprised you are still haunted by what happened. How terrifying. Thank goodness he is OK.

It is hard work being a mother and in so many ways I am only just discovering.

x

thanks daffodily. You reckon you feel like a bad mum....i was distraught when i saw about 10 doctors trying to get iv lines into my 15 month old. His skin just fell off like wallpaper peeling off a wall. He has a peculiar mottling of the skin on the top of both feet as the burns took away some of the melanin layer and on his arm he has the pattern of the gauze dressing impregnated in his skin.My ex blamed me for the whole incident despite the fact that i had just come home from a stay in hospital.

It looks worse when he has a tan. I just thank god that he didnt fall in face first. The water was boiling hot ,straight out of a bubbling tank.
He says girls always ask him what he has done so he now turns a negative into a positive and he says it gets girls talking.

You did the right thing taking him to A and E as the skin between the fingers can constrict and cause problems.Keep his hands well moisturised. Diprobase was fantastic for DS2 burns. I now use it as a moisturiser for me.