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What to do if your child gets burned

Taking care of burns after your Emergency visit

When to come back to the Emergency department 

Burn wounds are some of the most common reasons children and youth visit our Emergency Department. Preventing burn injuries in children and youth is important because burn wounds are painful and can leave scars. Some burns may need surgery (like skin grafts) and your child may need to wear special garments for a long time. 

You should seek emergency care for your child or youth if the burn:

If your child received emergency care for their burn, they will need care to manage pain and discomfort and to make sure the burn heals properly. 

Most pain from burn wounds can be managed at home with ibuprofen and acetaminophen.  Below you will find the doses for your child’s weight. 

Medicines for fever and pain come in different concentrations (the number of mg of medicine in each mL, tablet or suppository). Check the concentration on the bottle, and read the package directions carefully. If you're unsure, contact your pharmacist or primary care provider so they can help you. 

There are two types of bandages we apply on burn wounds: hydrofiber impregnated with silver bandages and gauze bandages.

Hydrofiber impregnated with silver bandages

Gauze bandages These require changing every two days.  

A healthy diet is important for proper burn wound healing.  This includes getting enough water and eating foods that are high in protein. High protein food options include meat, fish, eggs, yogurt, hummus, tofu and cheese.

Your child can participate normally in all activities as long as they're not experiencing significant pain.

It is very important to keep your child’s skin clean. Bathe your child, including the healing skin, in warm soapy water once per day. Be sure to pat the injured area dry but do not rub it.  Apply Vaseline or Polysporin to the burn areas that are healed as indicated by your doctor. Remember to avoid washing the burn area if silver impregnated bandages are covering the wounds — please keep it dry until you see the plastic surgeon.

The longer a burn wound takes to heal, the more likely it will be that there will be a scar. You cannot prevent scars from forming but you can improve the scar’s appearance by regular massage with an unscented skin cream. You do this by applying moisturizer to the burned area three times per day after it has healed and massaging it gently into the scar for a few minutes each time.

Some children experience itch around the new skin after a burn.  Regular warm baths and moisturizer help with this. Cooler temperatures can also soothe itchy skin.  Sometimes ice wrapped in a towel and applied to itchy skin can feel soothing.  Keep your child’s nails short to prevent scratching which can introduce infection. Try to pat the area that is itchy rather than scratching it. 

New skin will burn easily, even 18-24 months after a burn, so keep your child out of direct sunlight and apply a sunblock with sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher.  Reapply after swimming.  If the new skin is exposed to sunlight, it will darken unevenly, and this will be permanent.

You need to come back to the ED if your child or youth:

Some children require follow up with the plastic surgery team for their burn wound.  If this is the case, you will be contacted by the plastic surgery department in the next few days.  Plastic Surgery Clinic: C6, main floor, 613-737-2326.

See a list of CHEO-recommended resources about burns. 

MyChart is a FREE secure, online patient portal that connects patients to parts of their CHEO electronic health record, anywhere, at any time. To apply for MyChart access, visit cheo.on.ca/mychart and fill out the MyChart access request form. Once your application has been approved, we'll send you an email with an activation code and instructions on how to log in and get started.

2022-01-13 | P6258

This reference is for educational purposes only. If you have any questions, ask your health-care provider.

CHEO 401 Smyth Road Ottawa ON K1H 8L1 Phone: 613-737-7600 Email Us

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