6 Month Old Scalded Arm on Hot Light Bulb! Seen A Dr but...

[mamamona]

I'm completely beside myself I really need help!

At 3 pm today I was carrying my 6 month old son on my left side and he's at the age where he's really fascinated by lamps so as I was walking past a lamp he grabbed it and it tipped over and his little arm went into the lamp shade and touched the hot light bulb. He screamed blue murder and it took me a couple of seconds to realise what happened. I put his arm under cold water straight away and he seemed fine after a while and being his usual bubbly self.

Half an hour later the most hideous burn mark showed up about the size of a teaspoon head with some grey in the middle. I put his arm back under cold water and called my GP for an emergency appointment after considering A&E, calling the ambulance and thinking that maybe that would take too long. The GP was excellent and I was seen at around 5pm. I don't think I've stopped crying since about 3:30, but baby seems happy and content. I gave him calpol at 4 to ease the pain, and GP just said that it is ok, the burn will heal naturally and if the blister bursts then cover his arm with cling film which I have done.

I don't know... I'm still concerned that it might be a more serious burn than this. I don't know if I'm being really paranoid right now, especially since I've seen my GP, he's said its fine and the baby is fine. I just can't looking at my beautiful baby boy thinking what did I do to my poor baby. still crying :(

DD2 once picked up my hair straighteners, I felt awful. Kids recover faster than us oldies - it's great that he seems fine now.

It is a shock when the fist have a 'proper' injury, but don't be too distressed. It does not sound very big, and babies heal very fast. Both my children burnt themsleves at around 13 months on hot tea and both burns looked very scary at first. However it was amazing how quickly the redness goes, and the actual burnt bit was tiny - 100th of the size of the initial scald. I bet you anything it's very much better in the morning.

These things happen - you do not sound negligent, it sound like one of those unforseebable freak accidents. Don't blame yourself too much.

Keep the cling film on and keep him topped up with pain relief according to instructions on meds packet . If I was you I would see if you can get him seen by the practice nurse at your GP tomorrow just to put your mind at rest . Tell them what it is for over the phone and I am sure they will give you an appointment . If he seems distressed you can alternate paracetamol and ibuprofen for him .

I am sure the redness will go down pretty quick , but it sounds that the grey area may become a small wound - this will need to be kept covered to prevent infection - therefore i would advise trying to get him an appointment - they won't criticise you as a parent .

I have just realised you have been seen ! My apologies , I thought it was a telephone appointment .

Op, please dont beat yourself up over a complete accident.

Is your surgery open tomorrow? If it is open but you cant get an appointment for tomorrow I'd make one for Wednesday when they reopen, just incase you need it it'll save you having to join the mad panic for appointments on Wednesday morning and you can always cancel it. If it gets worse or starts to look infected call nhs24 or just go to your local out of hours clinic no one tells you but you can just walk in. The only reason I know is my local one has the special forms for people not referred by NHS24 on the desk.

Thanks all of us. OH is calming me down too. DS is fast asleep, quite content too after another dose of calpol. I think I'm so shaken because it's his first proper injury and I feel so helpless about it like I've been punched in the stomach so hard! i couldn't even eat my dinner thinking about it!

You poor thing. My second keeps trying to do the same and my first had a big blister touching a lamp at 7yo!
She also touched a big shiny catering kettle/coffee machine at 18 months and had a bad burn but it healed (family funeral wake, in my arms in kitchen, just reached out as it was shiny. Luckily SIL nurse).
Accidents do happen. It will look worse before it gets better. Don't keep crying/feeling guilty whenever you keep looking at it. He will pick up on your stress/bad vibes - far better to monitor and be grateful you were with him when he did it.

Woops, meant to read, Thank you all!..not thanks all of us... jeez not thinking straight!

When DD was about 8mo, I forgot to strap her into her pushchair and just zipped up the cosytoes around her. as we crossed a (busy) road, the wheel of the pushchair hit a pothole so I gave it a shove. DD flipped out and landed face down in the middle of the road.

Even typing that makes me short of breath with horror and guilt and she's 3 now.

Of course, she was fine- bump on the forehead and a grazed nose, but the image is seared on my brain. The doctor was more concerned about me than her!

He will be fine- you may need more time and a vat glass of wine

Did a baby first aid course last week and the course leader said any burn bigger than a thumbprint could cause problems and to take it to A&E - sounds like this burn is within the safe limits and if the GP has seen it then I would try and relax and just reassess the situation tomorrow.

Go easy on yourself
x

Ah it's terrble when they get hurt... he sounds ok though...it's you who needs an extra hug! If it makes you feel better, when my DD1 was a few days old, I knocked a copy of THe Contented Little Baby Book onto her head as she lay sleeping n her moses basket! We've all been there...burns look scary but he'll be fne.