Most burns occur at home, usually in the kitchen and bathroom.  Generally younger children suffer more scalds; older children more flame burns.  Children’s skin is thinner so they get hurt faster than adults.

You can start treatment that can help a burn injury by cooling the burn:

• Apply tap water at room temperature onto burned area for at least 20 minutes
• Never use ice or iced water
• Keep the non burned area dry and warm
• Don’t put anything on the burn except water
• Stop cooling if core body temperature is <35°C

Burns are identified by depth of the burn:

• Superficial or epidermal
• Partial thickness
• Full thickness

Each of the different depths of burns will be treated differently, sometimes this means that your child may have to stay in hospital.