You may want to know when to call us while your child recovers from a burn or wonder how often to change their wound dressing and what happens after their burn heals. Our family resources provide helpful answers.
Resources and Tips
Call Us If Your Child...
- Has a fever greater than 101.5°F, difficulty breathing or increased sleepiness.
- Has thick, bad smelling fluid from the burn wound
- Has redness around the burn
- Has bleeding that continues after applying constant pressure for two minutes
- Has a dressing that will not stay in place
- Has a dressing which has moved off the burn and you can see the burned area
- Has an outer dressing that is completely wet
- Will not eat or drink. No urination or wet diapers in 8 hours
- Has pain that does not go away after using acetaminophen (Tylenol®) or ibuprofen (Motrin®)
Treatment of Burns
- Mepilex Ag® , Mepitel Ag®, or Acticoat® long-acting silver dressings: Keep the dressing dry and covering the burn. No bathing, swimming or showering.
- Bacitracin® Topical antibiotic: Wash the burn twice daily and apply bacitracin
- Silvadene Cream 1%®, Sulfamylon®, Santyl®: Apply a thin layer of cream to the gauze and place the gauze directly on the burn with the cream on the skin
- Xeroform: Wash daily and apply the dressing to the skin
- Aquaphor® Moisturizer Healing ointment: Clean twice a day and apply a thin layer
- Splint, stretching: Helps to keep the skin from tightening up as the wound heals and provides comfort
- Moisturizing creams: (Aquaphor®, Eucerin®, Aveeno®, Cocoa butter, Vasoline®) Apply a thin layer twice a day to healed skin
- For pain: Give your child acetaminophen (Tylenol® or Tempra®) or ibuprofen (Motrin® or Advil®) every six hours if needed
Changing Your Child's Dressing
- Watch the video At Home, Dressing Changes; This will guide you step by step on how to change the dressing and clean the burn.
- Long-acting burn dressing: Do not clean the burn. Dressing to remain in place. Keep the dressing dry. Dressing change to be done in the Burn Clinic at your next appointment.
- Change the dressing and clean the burn once or twice a day:
- You may give your child acetaminophen (Tylenol®) or ibuprofen (Motrin®) 30 minutes before you clean the burn.
- Soak your child’s burn wound in warm, soapy water for 10 minutes. Younger children may soak in a tub and play while older children may prefer to take a shower.
- Wash your hands before cleaning your child’s burn.
- Use a mild soap, such as Dove® or Johnson & Johnson® Baby Soap with a clean, wet washcloth to gently wash the burn. This will remove all of the medication from the burn.
- Be sure to wash away any dead skin.
- The burn may bleed. Some bleeding is OK. If bleeding occurs, apply pressure to the burn.
- Gently pat the burn with a clean towel or gauze pad until it is dry.
- Using a tongue depressor or clean fingers, apply a thin layer of medication to the gauze.
- Cover the burn with the gauze. Make sure cream side touches the burn.
- Cover the burn with the gauze dressing and wrap with Kling®. Use tape to secure the dressing.
Compression Garments Care
- Compression garments should be worn for 23 hours each day. They may be removed for bathing and scar massage.
- Continue to do scar massage at least (2) times each day with Aquaphor or a similar thick moisturizer.
- To clean the garment: Hand wash in warm soapy water (Dawn dish soap is recommended, but mild detergent works as well).
- To dry the garment: Lay on a towel, roll it up, gently wring it out and allow to air dry.
- To garments DO NOT provide sun protection. Please apply sunscreen before putting the garment on if you will be outside.
Garment Replacements
Contact us in 2-3 months to be fit for a new compression garment. You may call sooner if the garment has been outgrown or if you note any rips in the garment.
- Call 202-895-3860 to schedule an appointment at our Children’s National Compression Clinic in Friendship Heights.
- Call 202-476-2150 to schedule an appointment at our Children’s National Compression Clinic at our main hospital.
- Email us with any questions or concerns.