First-aid management of minor burns in children: a prospective study of children presenting to the Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To identify the adequacy of first aid care following minor burns in children. DESIGN: Prospective case series. SETTING: Emergency Department and Acute Wound Clinic, the Children's Hospital at Westmead (CHW), Sydney. PARTICIPANTS: 109 children who presented with minor burns (10% body surface area or less) to CHW over the five months from 2 November 1998 to 23 March 1999. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Comparison of the adequacy of first aid delivered by parents and carers, general practitioners, local hospitals, and CHW. RESULTS: Burns included scalds, contact, flame, chemical or electrical burns. Adequate initial first aid had been given by parents or carers in only 24 of 109 cases (22%). The 85 children who presented to medical care after inadequate initial first aid was given by parents or carers included 14 of 14 (100%) who had presented to their general practitioner (GP), 22 of 31 (71%) who had presented to their local hospital, 22 of 38 (58%) who had presented to CHW, and 2 of 2 (100%) who had had first contact with other health professionals. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that there is a need to educate parents and health professionals regarding appropriate first aid for burns.