First-aid management of minor burns in children: a prospective study of children presenting to the Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney.

OBJECTIVE To identify the adequacy of first aid care following minor burns in children. DESIGN Prospective case series. SETTING Emergency Department and Acute Wound Clinic, the Children's Hospital at Westmead (CHW), Sydney. PARTICIPANTS 109 children who presented with minor burns (10% body surface area or less) to CHW over the five months from 2 November 1998 to 23 March 1999. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Comparison of the adequacy of first aid delivered by parents and carers, general practitioners, local hospitals, and CHW. RESULTS Burns included scalds, contact, flame, chemical or electrical burns. Adequate initial first aid had been given by parents or carers in only 24 of 109 cases (22%). The 85 children who presented to medical care after inadequate initial first aid was given by parents or carers included 14 of 14 (100%) who had presented to their general practitioner (GP), 22 of 31 (71%) who had presented to their local hospital, 22 of 38 (58%) who had presented to CHW, and 2 of 2 (100%) who had had first contact with other health professionals. CONCLUSIONS This study shows that there is a need to educate parents and health professionals regarding appropriate first aid for burns.