20070618_1Results of a recent study of burn injuries show that more than half of ambulance call-outs relating to burn injuries involve children less than 15 years of age and of these 70 per cent are infants younger than two.

WaterJel Technologies, manufacturers of a range of emergency burn treatment gels, dressings and bandages used  by  hospitals and emergency services around the world, offers this advice for the first aid treatment of burns in the home:
  • If the burn is caused by contact with electrical current make sure you turn off the  mains  power first  and  then disconnect the local supply to the patient. 
  • For chemical burns, wash off the chemical completely and remember to remove any items like watches or socks that  might retain liquid chemicals. Brush off powder chemicals carefully and then remove any residue under running water.
  • Do not remove any clothing or foreign objects stuck to a burn injury but you can remove clothing around the area which may be retaining heat.
  • Handle the burn injury as little as possible and never burst a blister. 
  • Do not put butter, grease, general first aid ointments or salves or dry dressings onto a burn injury. They will leave a residue that will have to be removed by the doctors which will be painful for the patient and could lead to scarring.
  • Seek medical advice and attention as soon as possible.
Application
Sterile WaterJel dressings ready-soaked in Burn Jel can be used over burnt clothing or even over hot fat or oil as the Burn Jel will soak through to the burn and start the process of cooling, relieving the pain and easing the subsequent removal of clothing by medical personnel.

For more minor burns, apply a generous layer of Burn Jel to the affected area. Do not rub in. Leave on for at least 30 minutes and reapply as often as necessary.

Availability
The WaterJel  Burn Jel range includes Burn Jel pain relieving gel – a fast-acting, pain-relieving gel treatment that cools and soothes burns – and the WaterJel  Burn  Jel  Emergency  Burn  Kit  –  including three individual Burn Jel sachets, an impregnated dressing and a bandage.

Available from the Lloyd’s Pharmacy chain and from independent pharmacies.

60ml  pump dispenser retails at £4.99 

WaterJel  Burn Jel Emergency Burn Kit retails at £5.99

A leaflet and a small sample of Burn Jel are available by emailing childburns@waterjel.net