Question
A two-year-old baby was spilled with hot water while wearing a sweater, resulting in a burn with blisters on the shoulder. A few minutes later, the size of the blisters was comparable to a little girl’s fingernail. The child is currently using Thai herbal ointment to apply. How should it be treated to ensure no scarring?
Answer
Based on the description, the baby’s shoulder has sustained a burn and formed blisters, which is a mild second-degree burn. If kept free from infection, the scab will typically not leave a scar. It is recommended to apply iodine tincture to the burn area. If the blisters are too large, you can use an aseptic syringe to draw out the fluid inside the blisters under sterile conditions, then apply moist burn ointment. It’s best to keep the burn area dry and avoid getting it wet, as this promotes early scabbing.