For a recent hot-liquid or hot-object burn, safely stop the heat exposure and cool the burned area under cool running water for 20 minutes. Do not apply ice, toothpaste, oil or food. Call 115 immediately for a severe burn, breathing difficulty, altered responsiveness or continuing danger while starting first aid; do not wait to finish cooling before calling. Keep the rest of the child's body warm.
The short version
- 01
Thermal burns: cool running water for 20 minutes, not ice.
- 02
Call for emergency help alongside first aid for serious burns or danger signs.
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Do not pull away stuck clothing or burst blisters.
Jump to the part you need
Stop the continuing injury
Get both child and helper clear of further spills or hot surfaces. With two adults, one starts cooling while the other calls for help and clears access. Do not spend the first minutes deciding who knocked over a cup or sending photographs to several groups. Tell the helper where the burn is, what caused it, when it happened and whether the child is breathing and responding normally.
Gently remove nearby clothing, nappies or jewellery only when they are not stuck to the skin. Material holding heat against the body can continue injury, but pulling adhered fabric can cause further damage. Leave attached areas in place if uncertain and obtain professional guidance. Do not scrape or scrub the burn before cooling, or apply a substance to make stuck clothing easier to peel off.
Cool the burn, not the whole child
NHS and the Royal Children's Hospital both recommend 20 minutes of cool running water for thermal burns. Let water run gently over the injured area; do not use ice water or direct ice. If possible, another adult can track the time while the person holding the child manages positioning. Cooling is not simply adding a cold-feeling product, and a few quick splashes do not provide the same first aid.
Keep unaffected areas warm and avoid immersing a small child's whole body in cold water. Without a tap, NHS offers cool bottled water or a clean cool wet cloth as alternatives; do not delay help while seeking perfect equipment. Shivering, excessive cold or distress that makes cooling unsafe needs medical support. For serious injury, follow dispatch instructions and prioritize airway or resuscitation needs rather than completing a timer at any cost.
What to keep away from a fresh burn
Ice, toothpaste, butter, oils, egg white and food-based remedies are not RCH-recommended first aid. They can complicate care and do not replace cooling water. Avoid having one adult finish cooling only for another to apply a remedy immediately afterwards. A shared household rule that cooling comes first can reduce argument at the very moment everyone is frightened.
Do not burst blisters or place adhesive directly on the injury. After cooling, protect it for assessment with a clean non-stick covering or loosely laid cling film where appropriate, never a tight wrap or film over the face. Subsequent creams and dressing changes belong in the clinician's plan. A temporary protective covering for travel is different from deciding to treat a burn at home for days.
When home care is not enough
Deep or extensive burns, burns involving the face, hands or genitals, and suspected airway injury need urgent assessment; electrical and chemical burns also need hospital care. Call 115 for breathing difficulty, hoarseness after smoke exposure, altered alertness, collapse or severe burns. A deep injury can be relatively painless, so crying does not measure severity. Do not use an online body-percentage diagram to justify skipping an assessment.
For a young child, blistering, broken skin or uncertainty is enough to seek early professional advice even when the area looks small. Assessment considers location, depth, pain, infection risk and whether home care is feasible. You do not have to wait for a colour change or fever before asking. Seeking advice early does not mean every burn requires hospital admission.
Electrical and chemical injuries: protect the helper too
Do not touch the child or a conducting object while an electrical source remains live; obtain help and follow instructions. A small skin mark cannot rule out internal electrical injury. For chemicals, prevent further exposure of the helper and keep the product label if safe. Tell professionals the suspected substance. Do not apply an opposite chemical to neutralize it on the skin, which can create further injury.
The opening 20-minute rule is not a universal chemical-treatment recipe. Removal and irrigation need substance-specific guidance, so obtain instructions promptly while arranging medical assessment. Do not re-enter smoke or a hazardous space to retrieve a photograph or container. Product details can sometimes be clarified later; additional exposure of child and helper cannot be undone.
After assessment, make prevention practical
Before leaving care, ask about dressing protection, changes, review timing, infection signs and the pain plan for this child. Do not remove dressings daily for photographs unless instructed. Increasing pain, spreading redness, pus, fever or progress different from the expected course warrants contact. Save the instructions so the next caregiver does not depend on the memory of somebody who has just had a stressful day.
Once calm, look at hot cups, kettle cords, pan handles and the habit of carrying hot items while holding a child. Moving an everyday object or separating those two tasks may be more practical than repeatedly telling a toddler not to touch. Do not turn the incident into a blame hearing. Carry forward fewer opportunities for injury and a household that knows cooling water comes first.
Practical checklist
- Safely stop the burn source.
- Cool a thermal burn for 20 minutes while keeping the rest warm.
- No home remedies or removal of stuck material.
- Call 115 immediately for severe burns or danger signs.
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How NIMO built this guide
NIMO writes and localizes each guide for Vietnamese families, then checks key facts against the official references below. The links support the guide; they are not the guide itself.
General health information · Checked against official sourcesFor symptoms or treatment decisions, confirm with an appropriate health professional.Next review · Dec 5, 2026
