Second-Degree Burns
Shriners Children's treats second-degree burns or partial thickness burns which destroy the top and middle layers of the skin.
Inpatient Rehabilitation Following Burn Injury
Shriners Children's Inpatient Rehabilitation Advances Healing and Mobility Following a Burn Injury
The goal of occupational therapy and physical therapy is to prevent the loss of mobility and deformities that can result from a burn injury. Our specialized team of therapists works with patients and families to achieve the best opportunity for a child to live a "life without limits" following a burn injury.
Individualized programs start at the child's bedside soon after admission for acute care and continue throughout their stay to help patients return to their pre-burn level of activity. Therapy involves work in the areas of mobility, scar management, self-care and simply relearning everyday activities such as walking and eating to assure a child’s total recovery. Everything from blocks, balls and coloring books to treadmills and stationary bikes are used to encourage a child's movement.
Specific treatments and services may vary by location. Please contact a specific location for more information.
Learn About Inpatient Rehabilitation Following Burn Injury
Inpatient rehabilitation following a burn injury involves working with a child, from the time they are admitted, in the areas of mobility, scar management, self-care and simply relearning everyday activities such as walking and eating to assure a child’s total recovery.
Inpatient Rehabilitation Services
In addition to traditional physical therapy, our specialized team also provides the following services for patients following a burn injury:
Nutritional Services
Children experience dramatic changes in their metabolism after a major burn. Their bodies begin to rapidly burn calories in response to their injuries. To keep up with the demand, a carefully planned diet designed by our dietitians is required to ensure a healthy recovery.
Splinting
Sometimes, children require the help of temporary splinting to prevent stiffening of scar tissue after surgery. Our team of therapists helps to splint these areas while they are healing so therapy can continue after the splint is removed without loss to a child's mobility.
Scar Management and Burn Therapy
Customized pressure garments that look like spandex are made on-site to cover a child's healed wounds and to flatten or improve the appearance of raised or hypertrophic scarring. This process, know as pressure garment therapy, involves initially applying pressure through temporary garments until the customized garments are made. When garments or other forms of pressure are prescribed, we recommend that they be worn 23 hours a day.
Masking
To prevent raised, or hypertrophic, scarring on the face, custom masks are made on-site for the child to wear and apply pressure to their facial burns. Wearing these clear masks all day, except when eating, can dramatically improve the appearance of their burn scars without surgery.
Masks are made by first making an advanced 3-D scan of the child's face. Then, a special mold allows our specialists to fabricate a plastic, clear mask that perfectly fits the child.
Burn Wound Healing Stages
Shriners Children’s provides comprehensive care for all the stages of burn wound healing. From initial treatment to the final stages of scar maturation, our team is dedicated to ensuring the best possible outcomes. Understanding the different stages of burn wound healing helps tailor treatment to each child’s specific needs.
The staff did everything to make Ayden feel comfortable. The nurses involved him in his dressing changes. Child life made fidget spinners to distract him. These details made a big difference!
Locations That Offer Burn Care Treatment
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Shriners Children's provides specialty health care to children around the world. We offer a comprehensive range of treatments, services and support to improve the quality of our patients’ lives and help them reach their full potential.
Pressure Garment Therapy Advances the Prevention of Hypertrophic (Raised) Scarring
Shriners Children's leads the way in the advancement of children's burn care, including our use of pressure garments to reduce raised, or hypertrophic, scarring without surgery.
Conditions We Support
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Third-Degree Burns
At Shriners Children's our team is skilled at treating third degree burns, also referred to as full thickness burns, which are among the most serious burn injuries.
Fourth-Degree Burns
World-renowned burn care expertise at Shriners Children's provides hope and life-changing care to children with fourth-degree burns.
Burn Scars
With advanced treatments and world-class expertise, Shriners Children's cares for and improves the lives of children with burn scars every day.
Scalds
At Shriners Children’s our burn care team uses advanced diagnostics and innovative treatments to care for children with scalds.
Electrical Burns
At Shriners Children's, our team uses advanced diagnostics and innovative treatments to care for electrical burns.
Chemical Burns
At Shriners Children’s, our burn care team uses advanced diagnostics and innovative treatments to care for children with chemical burns.
Contact Burns
The team at Shriners Children’s Boston can care for your child's contact burn using the most innovative burn care treatments available.
Next Steps
Request an Appointment
Families and caregivers seeking treatment should start by contacting us for an appointment.
Log in to the Patient Portal
Parents and guardians of existing patients can email, request records, schedule appointments and more.
Refer a Patient
Physicians and healthcare providers can request appointments, start transfers or contact us with questions.