Question

My eleven-month-old baby was scalded by boiling water, with a large drop of hot water causing a burn. The blister has also burst, leaving a small wound the size of a fingernail, which has been oozing fluid. After washing with disinfectant solution and applying a bandage, it remains wet. I’m not sure what other medicine to use. What should I do…

Answer

If a burn occurs again, immediately immerse in cold water to dissipate heat and prevent the burn from spreading. Based on your description, it seems to be a second-degree burn, characterized by regional redness, swelling, and partial skin peeling with a red, moist base. This type of burn usually has a good prognosis without infection and no obvious scars. Here’s how to treat it: there are two methods, bandaging and exposure methods. 1. Bandaging is convenient for care but takes longer to heal and is less effective than the exposure method. The specific procedure is as follows: first, use normal saline and 0.1% iodophor solution to sterilize the wound surface (available at pharmacies), then mix sulfadiazine silver with normal saline to form a paste and evenly apply it to the wound surface, covering it with sterile gauze and rebandaging. Pay attention to use sterile normal saline to prevent infection; avoid using tap water. 2. The exposure method is simple to operate but requires careful care. The specific procedure is as follows: the sterilization process is the same as above, then apply Meibao Moist Burn Ointment (about 20 yuan) evenly to the affected area. Reapply the medicine every 4-6 hours, using sterile cotton swabs to gently remove the previous ointment. Sterilize once a day. During the process, if the child accidentally rubs off the medicine, apply more immediately to keep the wound moist. Generally, second-degree burns are…