The most common cause of burns specially in children is getting scalded by hot water or steam when bathing. More often than not,children also get scalded when they drink hot liquids specifically from their baby formula bottle which use hot water.

The next most common cause is when children get into contact with frayed electrical cords of common household appliances or grounded electrical outlets.

Chemical burns are not that rare as we tend to store or spill household cleaning chemicals like drain cleaners or bleaches around the house. Children frequently try to help or meddle whenever we are cooking,this increases the chance that they will get contact burns when they are exposed to hot surfaces..

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 Minor burns are considerd to be minor when they are limited to an area of 3 inches or less.For burns of these size the following steps usually does the trick:

A. Hold the affected area under cool running water until the pain subsides. Cooling the injury reduces swelling as it takes away the heat absorbed by the skin. DONT PUT ICE ON THE INJURY!!

 B.Cover the injury by wrapping it loosely with a sterile gause bandage.Bandaging the area keeps air off the burned skin while reducing pain and protecting the burned area.

 C. To reduce the pain have the victim drink an dose of over the counter analgesic.

Minor burns usually heal without major treatment but when increased pain,fever or infection occurs expert medical help is strongly advised.