Saving children with burns in Ukraine
Lviv doctors save a 10-month-old baby with burns to his chest and arms
Little Ihor is from the town of Bibrka in the Lviv region. He received the thermal injury at home about a month ago. The situation is quite typical. The boy grabbed a cup of freshly brewed tea and tipped it over. The boiling water hit the upper part of the baby's body: it burned his hands and chest.
Despite the shock, Ihor's parents did not lose their cool and did the right thing: they cooled the affected area with water for ten minutes, which helped to avoid deepening the burn. Then they took their son to the local hospital, where he was anaesthetised. And then they went to the St Nicholas Children's Hospital of the First Medical Association of Lviv, because it is here that the largest burn unit in the western regions of Ukraine is located.
The total area of Ihor's burn was 3% of his body surface. While such a thermal injury does not pose a significant threat to an adult, it is a serious danger to children.
Combustiologists performed Ihor's dressing under anaesthesia and thus saved the child from additional suffering. They fixed the burned areas with modern dressing material. This spongy dressing adapts to the anatomical shape and has an excellent antibacterial effect. It prevents the growth of pathogenic microorganisms and promotes wound healing.
However, the affected area will still need to be monitored, as post-burn scars may form.
Burns are most often a domestic injury. For years, Ukrainian specialists had to send the most serious patients for treatment abroad.
In order to create all the necessary conditions for the treatment of children with burns in Ukraine, the Kyivstar Centre "Unbreakable" and the dobro.ua platform continue to change the system and equip the department with the necessary equipment. At the moment, we are collecting money for a portable ultrasound machine for the intensive care unit of St. Nicholas Hospital. With the help of this equipment, our specialists will be able to examine the most serious young patients right in the intensive care unit. Anyone can make a contribution.
