Burn remedies for children

Quite often, parents have to treat their child's burns. At the same time, a lot depends on how correct and correct the treatment will be, because not all creams that are allowed in childhood are suitable for such traumatic situations. In this article, we will tell you about what drugs you need to have in your home medicine cabinet in case of children's burns, and how to use them.

Basic principles of drug use

Medicines for burns can reduce pain, relieve swelling of the affected area, protect the burn wound from the penetration and multiplication of pathogenic bacteria, and at the final stage contribute to the early healing and restoration of damaged skin. It is a mistake to believe that a small burn in a child can be anointed with baby cream or fatty sour cream.

This is a common misconception, because any fatty substances applied to the burn impede the process of heat transfer, and do not contribute to recovery, but only hinder it.

That is why it is so important to have products in your home medicine cabinet that can come in handy if a child gets burned. The likelihood of this kind of injury is very high - according to statistics, burn injuries rank second among all types of injuries, second only to road traffic accidents, and most of the patients with various burns are old people and children.

Before using a drug for a burn, you need to assess the extent and area of the lesion. There are four degrees:

only the outer skin is affected, they turn red, but their integrity is not compromised - this is first degree;
the outer covers and part of the middle layer of the skin are affected, there are blisters and blisters - this second degree;
the skin is damaged almost to the very fatty tissue, deep wounds with black or brown edges are third degree;
the skin is completely burned, charred bones and muscle fragments are visible - this is fourth degree.

The affected area at home is calculated approximately like this:

each part of the body (arm, leg, belly, back) is estimated at 9%;
child's head and shoulders - 21%;
butt - 18%.

If the baby is burned, no matter what kind - thermal, chemical, solar - at the first stage after assessing the area and depth, you need to rinse the affected area with cool running water, provided that the integrity of the skin is not compromised.

Calling an "ambulance" is needed when a burn happened in a newborn or baby, or the degree of the burn is higher than the second, and the area is more than 5%.

At this stage, drugs cannot be used., so as not to complicate the diagnosis and not harm the child. If a burn of the first or second degree, then some drugs can be used already at the first stage, for example, sprays with an analgesic effect, antipyretics, antihistamines to reduce edema.

Basically, drugs are useful not at the stage of first aid, but at the stage of treatment. The algorithm for home therapy for simple and shallow burns is as follows:

first aid (washing, cooling of the skin area);
symptomatic treatment (antipyretic - at a temperature, antihistamines - with severe swelling, local antiseptics, and, if necessary, antibiotics, if there are blisters and blisters that burst and can turn into a focus of infection);
rehabilitation treatment (healing ointments, creams, sprays to accelerate skin regeneration).

The most comprehensive overview of remedies that can be useful for burn injury is presented below.

List of drugs for burns

"Panthenol"

It is a remedy for burns and wounds. The product is available in three forms - ointment (5%), cream (5%) and spray (4.6%).

This remedy in any form will be useful at the final, recovery stage of the treatment of burn injury.

In order not to give the child additional pain during treatment, it is better to use an aerosol spray, it is applied in a non-contact way.

Before use, the affected area is treated with an antiseptic. The cream and ointment are applied in a thin layer on the burn 2-4 times a day, and the spray - 2-5 times a day. By the way, the drug in the form of an aerosol can be used at the stage of first aid for a burn, but it is better to refuse to use an ointment or cream at the very beginning. "Panthenol" is allowed for children of any age: both newborns and adolescents. Even if part of the drug gets into the baby's mouth, nothing bad will happen. It is worth abandoning the use of the remedy only if the child has a deep burn with a weeping wound, for example, with a lesion with alkaline compounds or a burn from a cow parsnip.

Olazol

This is a spray antiseptic of the combined type of action. It has an antimicrobial effect and provides little local anesthesia. This drug can be used for weeping burns, as well as for medium-depth burns, even if there are signs of infection (suppuration).

In pharmacies, the product is available in another form - a solution for external use. The remedy can be used both in the early stages of a burn injury and during intensive treatment. It makes the dressing process almost painless due to local anesthetic action. Manufacturers emphasize that it is undesirable to use a spray for children under 2 years old. After this age, the drug is applied with each dressing or, if the treatment is carried out without dressings, 3-4 times a day.

"Actovegin"

This is a well-known drug that accelerates the regeneration processes at the cellular level; in the treatment of burns it is used in the form of an ointment, gel and cream.

Tablets and solutions for injections are used in the treatment of other ailments.

Actovegin can be used at the earliest stages of treatment (not first aid!), Even on weeping and sufficiently deep wounds. It is applied 2-3 times a day. There are no age restrictions for external use.

"Baneocin"

This is an antibiotic drug. It can only be used externally, any options for internal use are prohibited. On the shelves of pharmacies, it exists in two dosage forms - in powder and ointment. The drug is active against a large list of common bacteria and fungi.

In the treatment of burn wounds that are deep enough or with signs of an associated infection, both forms of medicine can be used at once. First, the wound is smeared with ointment, and then sprinkled with powder. Such procedures can be performed 2-4 times a day. "Baneocin" is allowed for all children from the neonatal period. The tool is considered effective for burns from the first to the third degree, inclusive. To prevent wound infection, powder can be used already at the initial stage of the burn.

Manufacturers point to the theoretical possibility of an allergic reaction to the drug in young children and children with hypersensitivity to allergens. However, in practice, such a side effect of "Baneocin" is rare.

"Radevit"

This ointment with a high content of vitamins (A, D and E) promotes faster healing of the burn during the final stage of treatment. The use of such an ointment is possible even for the face.because the properties of the drug make it an excellent cosmetic product. So, in case of a burn on the face, "Radevit" reduces the likelihood of a scar or scar.

It is important not to use such an ointment during an acute period of inflammation. It is suitable only at the healing stage, when all wounds have healed.

The drug is approved for use in children under 1 year of age, as well as children over. The ointment is applied 2-3 times a day and rubbed lightly into the skin. In order to prevent hypervitaminosis, it is advisable to consult a doctor before use.

"Levomekol"

This is an ointment that comprehensively restores the water balance of tissues and has an antimicrobial effect. It is used even for complex and deep burns up to degree 4 inclusive, including those complicated by purulent infection and necrosis. Manufacturers say that the remedy is not recommended for children under 3 years old, however, in practice, the ointment is widely used in pediatrics, including for children from 1 to 3 years old.

Dressings with the drug for burns can be done up to 5 times a day. If the child is in pain, and he does not allow to anoint the affected area, you can soak a medical napkin with ointment and apply it to the wound. The ointment is applied not only at the stage of treatment, but also at the stage of recovery, as it strengthens local immunity and promotes early healing.

Zinc ointment

This well-known anti-inflammatory agent can be used only for small burns of a small area, mainly for solar and thermal lesions of 1-2 degrees. Do not use the ointment on open or deep wounds. It is best to use the drug in the middle of the treatment cycle. The ointment is applied 2-3 times a day until complete healing. The drug is approved for children from six months of age.

It is important to know that "Zinc Ointment" does not heal an infected wound, but it perfectly prevents the development of infection.

Heparin ointment

This remedy, familiar to many generations of Russians, has not only an anti-inflammatory effect, but also anesthetizes the affected skin areas well. However, the ointment should never be applied to open wounds, only to intact skin areas. The tool, despite its effectiveness, not suitable for babies... But it will perfectly help a teenage child at the therapeutic and recovery stage.

Eplan

The drug is available in the form of an ointment and an external solution. The agent is considered antimicrobial, regenerating, and also a local anesthetic.

It is noteworthy that Eplan can be used at any stage of burn treatment, including first aid (for solution).

The product is approved for use at any age. "Eplan" 2-3 times a day is applied to a napkin, which is fixed on the wound with a light, non-pressing bandage.

Boro Plus

This ointment consists of herbal ingredients. The ointment smells good and children usually love it. You can use the remedy at the final recovery stage of treatment, when you need to get rid of the unpleasant consequences of a burn - scar and scars as soon as possible. The ointment is applied 2-3 times a day, rubbed in. No bandage needed. Do not use the ointment only for children with allergies. Everyone else, even babies, can use Boro Plus.

"Rescuer"

This ointment contains only natural ingredients of both plant and animal origin. For burns, it is used at any stage, excluding severe burns at the initial stage. Allowed for children of any age.

"Contraubeks"

This gel is also used at the final stage of treatment. It helps to smooth scars and scars, restores the evenness and uniformity of the skin. Recommended for children over 1 year old. It makes sense to use the gel when recovering from burn injuries on open parts of the body - on the face, arms, neck, etc. "Kontratubex" is applied with a fairly thick layer (half a centimeter) on the skin 1-2 times a day. It is important that the wound is completely healed and healed by this time. The course of treatment is quite long - from 4 weeks to several months.

Others

When treating a child from a burn injury in the home medicine cabinet, it is advisable to have an antipyretic agent - "Paracetamol", Ibuprofen, Nurofen, since many types of thermal burns (especially sunburn) are accompanied by an increase in body temperature.

"Aspirin" and other drugs of acetylsalicylic acid are contraindicated in children.

For anesthetizing a burn at the earliest stage, during an emergency, a spray with lidocaine is useful. Among antiseptics for burns, you should not choose spirit-containing products, it is better to use "Miramistin", furacilin solution, hydrogen peroxide. It is also desirable to have these funds in the medicine cabinet.

All dressings must be sterile - bandage, medical wipes, plaster. From folk remedies, a decoction of nettle (at the initial stage of treatment) and sea buckthorn oil (at the final stage) help well with the healing of burns.