Burns are among the most common injuries occurring at home. Many are minor and heal well, but the first few minutes after a burn are important. Unfortunately, this is also when well-meaning family members may reach for butter, ghee, toothpaste, turmeric, flour or other traditional remedies. In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Aruna Ramesh, HOD and senior consultant, Department of Accident and Emergency Medicine, Ramaiah Memorial Hospital, Bengaluru, shared first-aid steps you can consider to treat burns at home.
Also read | Soha Ali Khan has this gut-healing lemon drink first thing in the morning, calls it ‘gentle game-changer’: Full recipe A three-year-old pulls a cup of freshly made tea from a table. The hot liquid spills over the chest and upper arm. The immediate priority is not to search for a home remedy. “Remove the child from the source of heat and cool the affected area with cool water. Cover the rest of the child’s body to prevent feeling cold,” Dr Aruna suggested. If clothing is soaked with hot liquid but not stuck to the skin, carefully remove it. If clothing is stuck to the skin, do not pull it away. Cool the area and seek medical attention.
Because children have smaller bodies and can develop significant burns from relatively small amounts of hot liquid, burns involving a young child should receive medical assessment; seek urgent emergency medical care immediately.
