How to give first Aid for burns is one of the most important first aid techniques you can learn. Prompt first aid in the event of a burn injury can prevent many of the more serious consequences that can follow.

In the home burns may be chemical or from heat. Heat is the most common cause of what we know as a burn: the kitchen being the most common source of injuries. Hot oil, hot water, and hot cooking utensils may all be the cause. Chemical burns are less common, but any contact with strong chemical agents can cause them. Bleach, essential oils and cleaning agents containing lime may all be in your house and all may cause burns.

The most immediate action you must take in the event of a burn is to put out the fire if there is one, or remove the source of heat. If a person's clothes are on fire get them to drop to the ground and smother them with blankets, towels, coats, or whatever large items you can get. They can roll to try and extinguish the flames. My children all know that if they catch fire they must stop, drop and roll. I know this sounds like a scary thing to teach your child but I know through personal experience that it can save their lives. While this is happening clear the area of other potential victims, small children will flock to see what may have happened to their sibling.

Once any flames are out or the source of the heat removed the most important thing you can do is cool down the burn. Remove heat from it as quickly as possible. In the case of small children drop them in the bath and start the cold taps running, or the shower. If it is a small area then placing the limb under the cold tap is sufficient. The key here is the time to leave the injured part in the cold. It must be as long as possible, until the pain is from the cold not the heat. A minute or so will not do it. In the case of a chemical burn the action is the same, remove the source, carefully, then rinse, rinse and rinse again.

Remove any loose clothing, but anything that is stuck to the burn leave alone. Now is the time to assess the burn. Every earlier action has to have been taken without thinking and as quickly as possible, giving no time to assess the injury.

The severity of the burn depends on a combination of factors, the age of the patient, the size of the burn, the depth of the burn and the place where the burn has occurred.

Small, superficial burns in adults will only need basic first aid after the initial cooling. Apply antiseptic cream

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