Question
A six-year-old child accidentally knocked over a hot water bottle, resulting in a burn on the hand. How should emergency treatment be administered?
Answer
Burns from hot water are a common type of accidental injury, usually caused by contact with high-temperature liquids. Once a burn occurs, the affected area should be immediately removed from the heat source and efforts should be made to avoid contamination or secondary injury to the wound. For minor burns, it is advisable to apply burn ointment locally. If there are small blisters and it is a second-degree burn, the treatment can follow that of a first-degree burn. If blisters are larger or affect daily life, the blister fluid should be drained after strict disinfection, apply burn ointment, and cover the wound with sterile gauze for protection. Severe third-degree burns require immediate medical attention.