Serious burns can require skin-grafting and leave terrible scars, both emotional and physical. They are, by all accounts, among the most intensely painful personal injuries a person can experience. Burn treatment can be a lengthy and expensive process. The victims of these horrific injuries often face staggering medical bills, loss of function and a host of other issues that will affect them for the rest of their lives.
When someone suffers a burn injury, the clothing around the burn should be immediately removed. Next, the burned area should be cooled with lots of water. Burns will continue to get worse over time and the cooling can reduce this damage. Burns should not be treated at home with ointments, oil, butter or any other home remedy. In fact, the burned area should not be covered at all. A burn victim should be taken to the hospital for professional medical treatment. If the burn is severe, call 911.
Burn prevention requires vigilance. Children often suffer burns when they overturn containers of hot liquids onto themselves. This means that burns are often suffered on the face, neck and arms. Hot liquids should not be placed anywhere a small child can reach them for even a moment. If such containers are placed on a towel or a table with a cloth on it, make sure a child cannot pull the cloth and bring the contents down. Hot liquid should not be placed in a container that is tall or easily tipped over.
Finally, the importance of smoke detectors should not be overlooked. Some estimates say that a person’s chances of dying in a house fire are reduced by 50 percent simply by installing and maintaining smoke detectors. These simple devices save lives.
Source: Source: The Bakersfield Californian, “Never underestimate a burn injury,” by Doug Greener, 21 April 2013
