‘Nine in 10 parents’ couldn’t treat a burn

Writing in a paper published in the journal Burns, a team of researchers at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals and The Children’s Hospital argue that improved education is needed among parents about how to react immediately after a child is burned.

The study is the first of its kind in measuring awareness levels amongst parents with no previous contact with a burns service.

Interviewing 188 parents in South Yorkshire, the study team asked the parents what they thought would be the ideal three first steps to take if a two-year-old child of theirs suffered a large scald.

Parents’ answers were then compared with the recommended approach, which is to first remove hot clothes and jewellery; and then run under cold water for between 10 and 20 minutes. Parents should then seek help from health professionals and, finally, dress the wound with plastic food wrap or clean cloth.

The results showed that only 10 per cent of parents interviewed would carry out all of these steps.

Hamish Graham, surgical trainee and lead author on the study, said: “Simple first aid following a burn injury has been shown to significantly improve the outcome.

“By following four simple steps parents can help to minimise the damage done to their child.

“Our findings show that an awareness campaign is needed.”