Burns can occur in any number of ways, from children touching the iron or a hot kettle to spilling boiling water or hot tea on themselves. However a burn happens it is most important that you treat it in the correct way and as fast as you can.
With any type of burn you should immediately put that affected part of the body under cold running water for at least 10 minutes. This will cool the burnt skin down and should stop the burn progressing down into the skin and affecting the muscles, causing tissue damage. Also you should remove any burnt clothing that is on your child, unless it is stuck to the skin, in which case you should leave it alone.
After applying the running water you should lightly wrap the affected area in a clean cloth, sterile dressing or cling film to stop it becoming infected. You can also give your child some infant paracetamol or ibuprofen for the pain.
For minor or 1st degree burns, which are the most common kind, this is usually all that you need to do. The burn should heal on its own within a few days. However you should keep a check on it and make sure that the skin around the burn site doesn't become inflamed and pus-filled, which could be a sign of infection.
If the burn is more serious and the skin is blistered or has turned white and charred then you should take your child to the doctors or to A&E for professional medical help.
When any burn occurs you must not put butter, margarine or any ointments directly onto the burn. Such treatments do not stop the burning and can actually make it worse. The first action to take is always to run the burn under cold water.
If the burn is a chemical burn you should seek professional medical advice immediately.