2nd and 3rd degree sunburn on a 10 yr old - Burns & Injuries Message Board

bent_halo · 06-18-2005, 08:46 AM

My 10 yr old was taken to a friends pool, while I was at work and allowed to swim with no sunscrren for 4 hours, being a fair skinned red head, he now has 2nd and 3rd degree sunburns.

I had him at the ER yesterday, the gave him silvadine(sp) and hydrocodone for the pain, I am supposed to clean his burns with tepid water and antibacterial soap twice a day and apply the slivadine to his burns...aside from being my youngest, I am hopelessly his Mom and listening to him SCREAM while I am trying everything under the sun to get the old cream off in order to apply the new cream, is breaking my heart.

Does anyone know, of ANYTHING that helps to remove the old silvadine?...on his skin, it dries to like a thick tacky glue substance and it is HE** to get off of him, aside from scrbbing, I have tried soaking him, tried wet cotton balls, soft cotton ( ripped $70 brand new bed sheets up this morning

)
Please, if anyone knows anything else to try, I would so appriciate any advice.

Thanks so Much
Angel

feelbad · 06-19-2005, 05:53 AM

I would find a hospital with an actual burn unit and ask to speak with someone there.i am really quite suprised that they do not have your son in the hospital for treatment.Does he actually have dead tissue on his back??A third degree burn is a full thickness burn it goes all the way down and destroys nerves.This type of burn needs much more treatment than you can give him at home.It needs to be debrided to remove dead tissue.how much of his body is actually affected here anyway??he really should be in a hospital, at the very least for pain control.A third degree burn actually does not cause any pain as it destroys the nerves there at the actual burn site.But as you move away from the 3rd degree site,it becomes the second degree and the second degree can be excruciating.i am just kinda suprised that they would release a child from the hospital in the condition that he must be in.I would call his doc and explain the situation to see if he can assist you in getting your child in hospital for proper treatment and pain control.He should not have to suffer like this at home when he would be much better off in the hospital.I hope he finds some sort of relief here soon.Please keep me posted,Marcia

bent_halo · 06-20-2005, 12:18 AM

Thanks for the reply Marcia...

I have to take him back to the ER tomorrow or rather this morning...he has 3rd degree burns on both shoulders and second degree burns surrounding those and down his back.

I agree about the hospital admission, it has been HELL for this poor Baby, I have had to debreed(sp) myself for the last two days and apply the ointment, he screams to the point he passes out, they are giving a 10 yr old 2 Vicodin every 4 hours and they don't even touch his pain.

I'm going to rage in and demand they admit him....I knew you could get a bad sunburn, my brother used to burn right through his t-shirts as a kid, but have never ever seen anything like this...My Baby looks like someone poured acid over his shoulders and down his back....

Thanks again for the reassurance.

Angel

I will keep you updated

feelbad · 06-21-2005, 06:32 AM

Give em hell!! this is your baby they are dealing with.They can doo so much better pain control for him in the hospital that you just cannot do at home.Demand that they admit him as you just cannot deal with this anymore.No parent should have to do what you are having to do for your son.Tell them that you just cannot emotionally handle having to inflict that kind of pain on your child.If he is passing out because of the pain, he is truely suffering here and needs much more stronger narcotics that you can't give.I hope the hospital will see how bad this situation is and take over his care.Please let me know how this all goes.Marcia

ykceb · 06-25-2005, 10:12 PM

DON'T , I REPEAT DON'T TAKE THE SILVADINE OFF OF HIM...mY DAUGHTER HAD THAT HAPPEN TO HER, AND SHE HAD A SAC OF BLISTER THE SIZE OF A CANTALOPE ON HER LEG...OUR DOCTOR BROKE THE BLISTER, AND PLASTERED HER WITH THE SILVER SILVADINE, AND BANDAGED HER FOR 5 DAYS, AND TOLD ME NOT TO TOUCH IT TIL HE SAW ME. ..wHEN I WENT BACK IN 5 DAYS, HE UNBANDAGED IT, AND THE SKIN WAS A VERY PALE PINK---NEVER GOT ONE SINGLE SCAR....HE SAID THAT EVENTUALLY THE BURN PLACES WOULD REALIZE THAT THEY ARE HAVING YOU SCRUB THE GOOD SKIN OFF, AND CAUSING NEEDLESS PAIN....THAT STUFF THAT THEY ARE HAVING YOU SCRUB OFF EACH DAY IS THE NEW SKIN THAT IS TRYING TO HEAL ITSELF...GOD BLESS OUR DOCTOR.....AFTER THE FIVE DAYS WAS UP, HE HAD US COAT THE WHOLE AREA WITH MERCURACROME, AND THAT PROTECTED THE SKIN FROM INFECTION UNTIL IT WAS COMPLETELY HEALED....GOD BLESS, I PRAY I GOT THIS TO YOU IN TIME....