First Aid & Emergencies

Burns affect people of all ages, though some are at higher risk than others.

• Most burns that occur in children younger than age 5 are scald burns from hot liquids.
• Over half of all burns occur in the 18- to 64-year-old age group.
• Older adults are at a higher risk for burns, mostly scald burns from hot liquids.
• Men are twice as likely to have burn injuries as women.

Burns in children

Babies and young children may have a more severe reaction from a burn than an adult. A burn in an adult may cause a minor loss of fluids from the body, but in a baby or young child, the same size and depth of a burn may cause a severe fluid loss.

A child's age determines how safe his or her environment needs to be, as well as how much the child needs to be supervised. At each stage of a child's life, look for burn hazards and use appropriate safety measures. Since most burns happen in the home, simple safety measures decrease the chance of anyone getting burned. See the Prevention section of this topic.

When a child or vulnerable adult is burned, it is important to find out how the burn happened. If the reported cause of the burn does not match how the burn looks, abuse must be considered. Self-inflicted burns will require treatment as well as an evaluation of the person's emotional health.

Infection is a concern with all burns. Watch for signs of infection during the healing process. Home treatment for a minor burn will reduce the risk of infection. Deep burns with open blisters are more likely to become infected and need medical treatment.

Check your symptoms to decide if and when you should see a doctor.