Daily dressings for Burns

Transcript

Hi, I'm Kylie and today I'll be showing you how to change your child's dressings at home. As your child's burn heals, it may get to a stage that would benefit from daily washing and changing instead of twice a week. By giving the burn a wash every day, it can aid in removing skin debris, help decrease the itch and allow your child to have a thorough bath or shower every day, helping them meet their hygiene needs.

The nurse will equip you with enough dressings to change the wound until your next clinic visit.

Before you begin, make sure you wash your hands thoroughly.  Firstly, if there is hyperfix over the dressing, remove by wiping all over the parts of the tape with a Remove Wipes.  Dab them on the parts that are in direct contact with the skin.

Start by gently peeling it off.  Don't be concerned if there is tape on already healed, previously burnt skin. It won't harm it if removed gently.

If you see a new wound under the tape, it's usually from the child scratching the tape.  It's important to remove any residue from the removed wipes to avoid irritation. A soap free product will be sufficient in cleaning the burn. For example, QV Wash.

Ensure you use a clean washer and avoid family cloths to clean the burn. You could cut some clean chucks cloths to use as an alternative.  Dripping water over the wound alone is not sufficient. It requires a firm clean  to ensure all old skin debris is removed.  It's understandable you may feel anxious in washing the burn, but your child will enjoy the feeling as it will aid the itch.

It may help to remove the dressing while already in the bath or shower. Encourage your child to have a thorough clean just like they did before the burn occurred.  Rinse off soap products well and dab the area with a dry, clean cloth.

You would have been supplied with a bottle of betadine or a tube of Kennecombe ointment that is to be applied to any wet areas of the burn not yet healed. If it's Kennecombe, ensure your hands are clean before applying a very small amount to lightly smear on the wet part of the wound.  If it's betadine, tip the bottle onto the gauze and then dab it onto all wet parts of the wound.

If you don't have gauze, use a make up remover pad or cotton tip. You must allow the betadine to dry for at least two minutes before covering with a dressing.  Next, cover with a dry dressing. You would have been given Mepilex or Mepilex Light to cut to size, or a sized dressing of Mepilex Border Light Flex.

If it's Mepilex or Mepilex Light, cut a pattern similar to what you removed, ensuring it's larger than the wound.

Remove the clear film backing and place the sticky side towards the skin.  It's tacky and doesn't have a strong stick, so it's not perfect. Painful to remove the following day.

Adhere with Hyperfix. Place the tape down so that there is only a small amount of tape on the skin that will hold the dressing in place, as you will remove this tomorrow.

If it's Mepilex Border Light Flex, peel off the backing and place the white padded centre on the wound.  You may have to further reinforce this dressing with some Hyperfix.

Remember, as this dressing is also not very sticky, it can be very easy for little fingers to remove it, so the Hyperfix may be helpful.  If you need something extra, a sock made of TubiFast can be helpful in holding the dressing in place.

Any areas of the burn that are healed and no longer need a dressing are to be moisturised at least six times a day with a cream such as Sorbolene.  If you notice small red dots surrounding the burn, these are a sign of itching and can lead to pustules. If you see small blood blisters, these can be a sign of rubbing.

Dab betadine on these areas, then dry and cover with a dressing. If they are small enough, you may be able to continue moisturizing over it when dry. Continue with frequent fingernail and toenail trimming and regular administration of Zyrtec and be sure the dressing is still kept out of sand, dirt and water.

If you have any questions or concerns, phone the Burns Outpatients Reception to discuss with a nurse. You can also email through photos to be reviewed. The phone number and email address is on your appointment card.