How to Treat a Minor Burn on an Infant

Infants seem so fragile, and they are unable to fend for themselves. If your infant gets a minor burn, stay calm. There are several steps you can follow to reduce the pain and swelling from the burn as much as possible.

Things You'll Need

• Bowl
• Water
• Washcloth
• Gauze
• Medical tape
• Pain reliever

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Instructions

• 1

  Fill a bowl with cool (not cold) water.

• 2

  Hold the infant securely over the bowl and immerse the burn in the water. Calm the baby as much as possible by shushing, singing, or slowly rocking, but make sure that the burn stays submerged at all times.

• 3

  Remove the burned area from the water when the baby seems to no longer be in pain. If it is too difficult to keep the burn immersed for that long, try wetting a soft washcloth with cool water and applying it to the burn.

• 4

  Wrap the burned area in a clean piece of gauze, and secure with medical tape. Make sure the gauze is not too tight so that it cuts off circulation or becomes uncomfortable, nor too loose that it may fall off.

• 5

  Administer acetaminophen or another pain medicine approved by the infant's pediatrician. This may reduce the pain and swelling at the burn site.