Live Smart: Health and Safety Activities for Youth Clubs

Bulletin 907

Burning Questions (and Answers)

YOU WILL TEACH CLUB MEMBERS

How to identify and treat thermal, chemical, and electrical burns.

WHAT DO YOU NEED?

No additional materials are required.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Tell club members: People get burned in many different ways, but there are three basic burn sources. These are thermal burns, chemical burns, and electrical burns.

Tell club members: Thermal burns are the most common type of burns. They are due to over-exposure to heat. This may be in the form of moist heat or dry heat.

Ask club members: Can you give me examples of moist and dry heat?
Answers will vary. Common forms of moist heat are steam or boiling water. Dry heat examples include open flames, hot metal, sunburn, or hot grease.

Ask club members: How can these burns be avoided? Answers will vary. Examples include allowing hot liquids to cool before drinking, eating, or taking a bath. Sunburns can be avoided by using sunscreen and wearing protective clothing.

Tell club members: House fires are one of the most common sources of thermal burns. These are typically caused by smoking in bed, electric heaters, worn electric cords, and cleaning fluids. Having working smoke detectors and fire extinguishers in your home are keys to minimizing house fires.

Tell club members: Acids or alkalines can cause chemical burns.

Ask club members: Can you give me examples of acids and alkalines (or bases)?
Answer: These might include battery acid, lye, drain cleaner, and other household cleaners.

Ask club members: How can this type of burn be avoided?
Answer: Only use chemicals with adult supervision. If possible, wear gloves and protective goggles to prevent the chemical from splashing on your skin or in your eyes. Always wash your hands after working with chemicals.

Tell club members: Electrical burns are caused by electrical shock or by being struck by lightning.

Ask club members: How might you avoid electrical burns?
Answer: Use the plug to pull a cord out of an electrical socket, not the cord itself. Also, don't touch the metal prongs while they are still in the wall socket. Do not touch anything electric while your hands are wet or stand in water while using electrical appliances. Don't fly kites near power lines. Go inside if it is lightning outside.

WHAT SHOULD YOU KNOW?

Tell club members: In addition to having many sources, burns are classified as one of three degrees. A first-degree burn is not as serious as a second- or third-degree burn. All three degrees have specific treatments. Third-degree burns are very serious and require medical attention. Chemical and electrical burns should also receive medical attention.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Divide into even groups. Give each group one of the following scenarios. Have them explain what type of burn it is and how they would handle the situation.

1. Bob and Bruce are playing in their father's tool shed. Bob accidentally trips over a car battery that is lying on the floor, and some battery liquid spills onto his bare leg. Bob thinks nothing of it, but as they are playing he notices that the area has turned red and is very hot. What should Bob and Bruce do?
2. Susie has just come inside from building a snowman. She decides to warm up by making a cup of hot chocolate. As she is pouring the boiling hot water, some of it splashes on her hand leaving a blotch of reddened skin that is slightly painful. How should Susie treat this burn?
3. After making himself toast, Mike washes his hands. While his hands are still wet, he pulls on the toaster cord to unplug the appliance. A tiny spark comes out of the socket, but luckily Mike is not shocked. How should Mike have handled this situation in order to avoid the chance of being shocked?
4. Judy falls asleep while relaxing at the swimming pool. When she wakes up, she notices that her back is very sore, but she assumes she only has a slight sunburn. Later in the day, she notices that her back and the tops of her arms are blistered. How should Judy treat her burn?

Answers to the activity.

1. Chemical burn. Tell an adult and seek medical attention since this is a chemical burn.
2. Thermal burn. Put hand in cool running water (no ice). The running water helps take the heat away from the hand and cools the skin.

3. Electrical burn. Always have dry hands when working with electrical appliances. Besides the hazard of being burned, a secondary problem with chick is the cardiovascular reactions it causes in your system.

4. Thermal burn. Keep the blisters intack; do not pop them. You may spritz the area with cool water to take away some of the heat. Try using commercial products for sunburn.

Special note: When dealing with any type of burn, never apply butter. This is an old myth that should no longer be practiced. Fats and oils in the butter actually hold the heat in the skin, causing more damage to the burned area.

Answers to the matching activity.

Top: Second degree burn

Middle: Third degree burn

Bottom: First degree burn

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