Illnesses/First Aid

Burns: First Aid for Babies

April 5, 2026

Key takeaways: For a burn, cool it right away with cool (not cold or icy) running water for about 20 minutes, remove clothing and jewelry near the burn unless stuck, and cover loosely with a clean, non-stick dressing. Don’t use ice, butter, or oils. Any burn on a baby that’s larger than a small coin, blistered, or on the face, hands, feet, genitals, or joints needs medical care.

Babies’ skin burns at lower temperatures and more deeply than adults’. Many burns happen in the kitchen and bathroom.

Common Causes

  • Scalds from hot drinks, soup, or bath water.
  • Contact burns from stoves, irons, hair tools, and radiators.
  • Electrical burns from outlets and cords.
  • Sunburn.

From the author

From First Breath to First Birthday is my month-by-month guide to your baby’s first year, written as a NICU and postpartum nurse. My book covers common first-year illnesses and the warning signs that mean it’s time to call the doctor, explained the way I’d explain them at the bedside.

See the book on Amazon →

First Aid

  1. Stop the burning: remove your baby from the source.
  2. Cool the burn with cool running water for about 20 minutes. Many burn organizations recommend this. Keep your baby warm otherwise to avoid getting too cold.
  3. Remove clothing and jewelry near the burn, unless stuck to the skin.
  4. Cover loosely with a clean, non-stick dressing or plastic wrap laid over (not wrapped around) the burn.
  5. Ask your doctor about pain relief.

Don’t

  • Don’t use ice or ice water.
  • Don’t use butter, oils, toothpaste, or other home remedies.
  • Don’t pop blisters.

When to Get Medical Care

Get medical care for any burn in a baby that is:

  • Larger than a small coin.
  • Blistered.
  • On the face, hands, feet, genitals, or over a joint.
  • Caused by electricity or chemicals.
  • White, leathery, or charred.
  • Showing signs of infection.

Call 911 for: large burns, burns with trouble breathing, electrical burns, or a baby who is pale, very sleepy, or unresponsive.

Prevention

  • Set your water heater to 120°F or lower.
  • Test bath water with your wrist or elbow, or use a bath thermometer.
  • Never hold your baby while drinking hot liquids or cooking.
  • Keep hot drinks away from table edges, and avoid tablecloths a baby can pull.
  • Turn pot handles inward and use back burners.
  • Cover outlets and keep cords out of reach.
  • Don’t microwave bottles.

The Bottom Line

Cool burns with running water for about 20 minutes, cover loosely, and get medical care for any significant burn. Prevention is the best protection.

Want more support for your baby’s first year? My book, From First Breath to First Birthday, is available on Amazon.

Related Articles

Sources

  1. American Academy of Pediatrics. Treating and preventing burns. HealthyChildren.org. https://www.healthychildren.org
  2. American Burn Association. Scald injury prevention. https://ameriburn.org
  3. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Avoiding tap water scalds. https://www.cpsc.gov

This article is for general education and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. Always talk with your baby’s health care provider or your own provider about your specific situation. If you think your baby or you may have a medical emergency, call 911.

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