Burns: Symptom Management

Ache administration and burn care

Most kids with burns have ache. The quantity of ache is dependent upon the severity and placement of the burn. Extreme ache could make your kid’s keep within the hospital very scary. Your youngster will likely be given ache drugs by means of an intravenous (IV) line or by mouth earlier than wound care and as wanted. Many mother and father fear that their youngster might change into hooked on ache drugs. That is very uncommon, as a result of youngsters are given such small quantities of ache drugs for brief time durations. There are additionally ache medicines which might be fairly efficient with out being addictive. If in case you have extra questions on ache drugs, ask your kid’s healthcare supplier.

If sufficiently old, your youngster can use a ache ranking device to assist with controlling the ache. This device tells the healthcare staff how a lot ache your youngster is having at any given time. It would additionally assist them determine in case your youngster wants ache drugs in order that your youngster will be extra snug. The nurse and youngster life therapist will help your youngster management the ache. The nurse and youngster life therapist also can make it easier to discover methods to consolation and distract your youngster to lower their nervousness.

Itching and burn care

Most kids who’ve suffered from a burn harm typically have itching sooner or later in the course of the therapeutic course of. Itching might occur within the space of the burn, a pores and skin graft, or the realm the graft was taken from. Generally it begins immediately, however it might additionally occur a number of weeks or months into the therapeutic course of. Itching is extra more likely to occur in youthful youngsters, and these with dry pores and skin or thicker scars. Itching can vary from a minor irritation to extreme discomfort that may intrude with day by day actions. Whereas there isn’t any remedy for itching, the situation decreases over time. Within the meantime, there are issues that you are able to do to your youngster to minimize his or her discomfort:

• Lotions will help preserve the realm moist. Attempt to not use lotions. They could include alcohol, which might dry the pores and skin. Additionally keep away from lotions or lotions that include lanolin, which might make the itching worse. And do not use lotions that include perfumes. These might trigger extra irritation to the realm.

• Topical corticosteroids (akin to hydrocortisone) could also be advisable by your kid’s healthcare supplier.

• Cool or chilly compresses might assist present aid.

• There are different medicines that your kid’s healthcare supplier might prescribe. These embrace antihistamines or oral steroids to assist with itching.

Therapy will rely in your youngster’s signs, age, and common well being. It would additionally rely upon how extreme the situation is.