First Aid

When you suffer a burn, you need to remove any clothing or jewellery near the burnt area of the skin and then cool the burn with cool or lukewarm running water for 20 minutes.

Keep yourself or the person warm, particularly if you’re cooling a large burnt area, to avoid hypothermia.

Cover the burn with cling film without wrapping it around a limb, and take paracetamol or ibuprofen for the pain if necessary.

Antiseptic cream is an important part of a first aid kit.

It’s used to soothe and heal wounds, and it protects against infection when you’ve had a cut, graze, burn, insect bite or any other minor wound.

Antiseptics work by weakening the growth of bacteria, not to be confused with an antibiotic, which works by killing bacteria.

If your baby feels hotter than usual on their forehead, back or stomach, or they’re feeling sweaty or clammy with flushed cheeks, you may need to check their temperature.

The NHS recommends using a basic digital thermometer and placing it under their armpit for about 15 seconds, or for however long it says in the manufacturer’s instructions.

This is the recommended way to take a child’s temperature until they’re 5 years old.

Keeping a first aid kit in your car or vehicle is really important in case of an emergency, especially if you spend a lot of time driving.

You should try to keep a full first aid kit in your car, including the essential range of bandages and dressings, creams and medicines, as you never know what you’ll need when the time comes.