Essay On Burns And Scalds

Burns

Burns and scalds are damage to the skin caused by heat. Both are treated in the same way.

A burn is caused by dry heat – by an iron or fire, hot drinks cause most burns and scalds to children under the age of five. A scald is caused by something wet, such as hot water or steam and, of course, children should be kept a safe distance away from open fires, cookers, irons, hair straighteners and matches, as these can be dangerous too. Burns can be very painful and may cause:

• red or peeling skin

• blisters

• swelling

• white or charred skin

The amount of pain you feel isn't always related to how serious the burn is. Even a very serious burn may be relatively painless.

Prevention:

• For adults, never hold a hot drink/food and a child

All oils retain heat, which is the opposite of what you’re trying to achieve. Also, if you put anything on top of a burn and it later needs to be removed in hospital, it may cause further pain, distress and damage.

13- Burns fall into two main categories: burns and scalds. Burns are caused by contact with hot objects, flames, or by friction (e.g rope burns). Scalds are caused by steam or hot liquids such as tea or oil. Both burns and scalds are treated as described above - by cooling the burn under cold running water for at least ten minutes.

CHOKING

Children can often have a fascination with putting objects in their mouth and swallowing them, meaning that choking is a common hazard. Accidental swallowing of foreign body, strangulation, covering of head by blankets, accidental suffocation by pillow while baby sleeps in a prone position, near-drowning etc.

Prevention:

• Choose toys appropriate to the age of children. Avoid toys with detachable small parts.

• Ensure small objects are kept out of reach of children.

• Pull cords on curtains and blinds should be kept short and out of reach of children.

• Strings and plastic bags should be kept out of reach of