Children with minor burns: aftercare advice

This leaflet has been given to help you and / or your child to look after their burn injury.

Treatment received:

(Clinician will mark and explain as appropriate)

Painkillers (type) .......................................................

Dressings

• Dressings protect the burn injury and help with healing.

• Please keep dressings clean and dry and leave in place unless otherwise advised.

• Please find specific information and advice about the dressing below (for example, waterproof, odour, colour, anti-microbial).
  ...................................................................................................................
  ...................................................................................................................

• The dressing needs to be changed every ……… days until the injury is healed.

Change of dressing will be done by (mark as appropriate):

The dressing will require changing sooner if:

• fluid seeps through the dressing

• it becomes wet

• it begins to peel / fall off.

If your child's burn injury is not healed (or nearly healed) by 10 days, please ask to be referred to your local specialist burns service (if not attending there already).

You have a follow-up appointment on:

Date: ………......................................………..

Time: ……………......................................…..

Place: …….....................................…………..

Concerns

Seek medical advice early, if your child experiences any of the following signs or symptoms.

• Worsening or uncontrollable pain

• Offensive smell from the burn injury

• Redness / swelling / heat surrounding the burn injury

If your child experiences any of the following, please contact your local specialist burns service or Emergency Department immediately.

• Your child feels ill / develops a temperature (fever above 38°C)

• Diarrhoea (poo is loose / runny and watery)

• Vomiting

• Not passing as much urine as normal

• "Not well" / "Not their usual self"

• Rash

Looking after your child's healing burn

Pain

• Give painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen regularly to relieve the pain. Always check the packaging to make sure that you take the correct dosage. Never give aspirin to children under 16 years of age.

• Give painkillers 30 minutes before a dressing change to ease discomfort.

• When possible, raise the affected arm / leg to help to reduce swelling, which will reduce pain.

Nutrition

• Eating and drinking a well-balanced diet helps children to grow, stay healthy and to heal after injury.

• Speak with your GP or Health Visitor if you are worried that your child is not eating enough or is underweight.

• Fluid can be lost from the burn, so it is important to keep your child hydrated. Encourage regular drinks and alert a health professional if their nappies are dry or they are passing less urine.

Skin care

• Proper aftercare of your child's skin is very important to restore the skin’s function, reduce pain, itch and swelling.

• Moisturise regularly with a non-perfumed moisturiser, such as aqueous cream, to soften the skin, prevent dryness and reduce feelings of tightness.

• Once the dressings have been removed, your child can bath again. Use a non-perfumed gentle soap at first.

• Avoid exposing the burn to any direct sun either by covering up with clothes or using sun block (UVB protection) or factor 50 sunscreen (UVA protection), especially in the first two years after burn injury. Sun cream may be available on prescription.

Return to school / nursery or usual daily activities

• Return to school or nursery depends on the location and healing of the burn injury.

• Your child may be able to return on restricted activities with the agreement and support of the school / nursery staff. You will be guided by the burns team.

• We want your child to get back to being as close to their old self as possible. Therefore, it is important to encourage them to continue with their usual level of exercise and activities as far as their healed injury allows.

• If your child has been given exercises by the physiotherapist or occupational therapist, it is important to help them do these as instructed, to get the best results

Further information and advice

• London and South East Burn Network

• NHS 111

• Healthy Start

Support groups

• Changing Faces

• Children’s Burns Club

• Children’s Burns Trust

• Children’s Burn Camps

[Web sites last accessed 8th October 2025]

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