Tuesday 4 December 2012

A Cautionary Tale

As the weather has taken a chilly turn, I'm sure we aren't the only ones who have put the heating on. We have thermostatically controlled radiators as well as the thermostat on the hall wall. These do a great job of maintaining the heat but there was something we overlooked. 

Our radiator controls look a bit like these. Although we can control the temperature of the radiators, we didn't realise these controls had become stuck inside. The dial on the outside still turns but the part inside that controls the flow of water has got jammed. 


Not realising a) this could happen or b) this had happened our radiator in the front room got scorching hot. We felt nice and cosy as we normally only have the heating on in the evenings when it gets really cold.  

Unfortunately, little Squish Pot didn't realise they get hot at all. He was clambering about as usual (on his birthday of all days) and lost his balance. Yes, you guessed it, he put his hand straight on the boiling hot radiator. My husband was already on his way to move him away from the radiator as he knew they were on so his hand only touched it for a couple of seconds. 

This is the damage those seconds did.

The big blister burst in the bath that night and I took this the following day. You can see the little blister in the palm of his hand. He also has one on the side of his palm under his little finger. Through the day the skin came off so we covered it with a plaster for blisters to keep it clean and free of infection. So far, so good! He has been amazing and hasn't cried over it at all since he did it.

I feel so stupid for not checking the temperature or turning the thermostat down. I'm so glad that it wasn't any worse even though it is bad enough!! I thought I would share this in case any of you have these radiator controls and were unaware they can become stuck inside. I hope this helps prevent others getting burnt too.

I found some information on burns, how to distinguish the three types and how to treat each one. I hope you never need to use this info.


To distinguish a minor burn from a serious burn, the first step is to determine the extent of damage to body tissues. The three burn classifications of first-degree burn, second-degree burn and third-degree burn will help you determine emergency care.

1st-degree burn
The least serious burns are those in which only the outer layer of skin is burned, but not all the way through.

The skin is usually red
Often there is swelling
Pain sometimes is present
Treat a first-degree burn as a minor burn unless it involves substantial portions of the hands, feet, face, groin or buttocks, or a major joint, which requires emergency medical attention.

2nd-degree burn
When the first layer of skin has been burned through and the second layer of skin (dermis) also is burned, the injury is called a second-degree burn.

Blisters develop
Skin takes on an intensely reddened, splotchy appearance
There is severe pain and swelling.
If the second-degree burn is no larger than 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) in diameter, treat it as a minor burn. If the burned area is larger or if the burn is on the hands, feet, face, groin or buttocks, or over a major joint, treat it as a major burn and get medical help immediately.

For minor burns, including first-degree burns and second-degree burns limited to an area no larger than 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) in diameter, take the following action:

Cool the burn. Hold the burned area under cool (not cold) running water for 10 or 15 minutes or until the pain subsides. If this is impractical, immerse the burn in cool water or cool it with cold compresses. Cooling the burn reduces swelling by conducting heat away from the skin. Don't put ice on the burn.
Cover the burn with a sterile gauze bandage. Don't use fluffy cotton, or other material that may get lint in the wound. Wrap the gauze loosely to avoid putting pressure on burned skin. Bandaging keeps air off the burn, reduces pain and protects blistered skin.
Take an over-the-counter pain reliever. These include aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), naproxen (Aleve) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others). Use caution when giving aspirin to children or teenagers. Though aspirin is approved for use in children older than age 2, children and teenagers recovering from chickenpox or flu-like symptoms should never take aspirin. Talk to your doctor if you have concerns.
Minor burns usually heal without further treatment. They may heal with pigment changes, meaning the healed area may be a different color from the surrounding skin. Watch for signs of infection, such as increased pain, redness, fever, swelling or oozing. If infection develops, seek medical help. Avoid re-injuring or tanning if the burns are less than a year old — doing so may cause more extensive pigmentation changes. Use sunscreen on the area for at least a year.

Caution

Don't use ice. Putting ice directly on a burn can cause a person's body to become too cold and cause further damage to the wound.
Don't apply egg whites, butter or ointments to the burn. This could cause infection.
Don't break blisters. Broken blisters are more vulnerable to infection.

3rd-degree burn
The most serious burns involve all layers of the skin and cause permanent tissue damage. Fat, muscle and even bone may be affected. Areas may be charred black or appear dry and white. Difficulty inhaling and exhaling, carbon monoxide poisoning, or other toxic effects may occur if smoke inhalation accompanies the burn.

For major burns, call 911 or emergency medical help. Until an emergency unit arrives, follow these steps:

Don't remove burned clothing. However, do make sure the victim is no longer in contact with smoldering materials or exposed to smoke or heat.
Don't immerse large severe burns in cold water. Doing so could cause a drop in body temperature (hypothermia) and deterioration of blood pressure and circulation (shock).
Check for signs of circulation (breathing, coughing or movement). If there is no breathing or other sign of circulation, begin CPR.
Elevate the burned body part or parts. Raise above heart level, when possible.
Cover the area of the burn. Use a cool, moist, sterile bandage; clean, moist cloth; or moist cloth towels.
Get a tetanus shot. Burns are susceptible to tetanus. Doctors recommend you get a tetanus shot every 10 years. If your last shot was more than five years ago, your doctor may recommend a tetanus shot booster.

This information is from the MayoClinic website.


4 comments:

  1. Ouch, can happen so quickly can't it! Hope hand mended soon xxx

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  2. Oh so sorry! Poor little guy looks awful. Sounds like you are treating it really well

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  3. Poor little mite. I can imagine the scene as your husband tried to stop the accident. So glad he is his usual, cheerful self. Children are so resilient - much more so than adults! x

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  4. Poor little mite, I hope it's starting to heal up now. x

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