Question
A six-year-old child accidentally knocked over a hot water bottle, resulting in a scald on the hand. How should one properly handle such a scalding situation?
Answer
Scald injuries are a common type of accidental injury, usually caused by contact with high-temperature liquids. Once a scald occurs, it is immediate to remove the injured area from the heat source and prevent contamination or secondary injury to the wound. Topical burn ointment can be applied regionally. If there are small blisters as a second-degree burn, they can be treated as first-degree burns; if blisters are larger or affect daily life, the blister fluid should be drained after strict disinfection, and burn ointment applied, covered with an sterile gauze to protect the wound. Severe third-degree burns should be treated immediately by a medical professional.