[Pictured: Milla today]
Milla was eight years old when she suffered severe burns to her lower body.
On this particular day, she came home from a party feeling hungry, so she did what she’s done many times before and prepared herself one of her favourite snacks – some instant noodles.
Usually, Milla would sit up at a table while she eats, but on this occasion she didn’t. Instead, she sat down on the couch with the bowl of hot instant noodles resting in her lap.
“It all happened so fast,” recalled her father Mat.
“Milla was sitting eating when I heard her scream. I won’t ever forget it.”
Some of the hot water from the bowl she was eating out of accidentally spilt onto her lap. This made Milla jump, causing the entire contents of the bowl to tip onto her.
HER BODY WAS SCALDED FROM THE HOT CONTENTS IN AN INSTANT
Milla immediately sustained severe burns to the inside of her thighs and groin area.
“I thought for a moment that the noodles had stuck to her, but it was actually her skin bubbling and peeling.”
THANKFULLY, HER DAD KNEW THE CORRECT FIRST AID TREATMENT FOR BURNS
Mat knew that he had to get Milla’s burns under cool running water.
“I felt sick, but knew I had to get water on her and the ambulance called.”
“Within seconds I had her pants off and running her legs and groin under cool water. She was sobbing and in shock.”
Mat’s actions, along with Milla being taken to hospital quickly, played a significant role in her recovery. Amazingly, she was home in just 24 hours – very sore and with an ongoing routine to manage her pain and injuries.
“THE PAIN WAS HORRIBLE!”
Milla recalled how she felt when the incident happened.
“I was so scared. The pain was horrible – on a scale from 1-10 it was definitely a 10!”
Her message to other kids is very simple: “Always sit down with your food and don’t put it on your lap.”
TWO YEARS ON, MILLA IS STILL IMPACTED
Two years on, Milla is still impacted by this painful incident.
Milla’s scarring is permanent, however, after 12 months of frequent dressings and moisturising the area where she was burned, Milla has come a long way.
She has ongoing scar management appointments with her Burns Physiotherapist, however, this is now annually and she still requires daily moisturising of her scar tissue.
The main thing she was worried about was not being able to do cartwheels again – thankfully she can.
Today, Milla is very active – swimming, playing tennis, running and gymnastics. Any further surgery would be for cosmetic reasons only. Milla loves going to the beach and swimming but has to make sure her scar is covered to prevent sun damage.
NOT EVERYONE KNOWS THE CORRECT FIRST AID TREATMENT FOR BURNS
If a burn or scald does occur, it’s important to know what to do. Taking the correct first aid steps can make a significant difference in the rehabilitation and long-term outcome of a burn injury.
Data from the Burns Registry of Australia and New Zealand (BRANZ) reveals that in 2020-21 26% of children did not receive the recommended ‘gold standard’ initial first aid treatment for their burn injury.
WHEN TREATING A BURN, REMEMBER TO: REMOVE, COOL, COVER AND SEEK
- Remove – remove yourself from danger. Remove any clothing and jewellery from the burn area unless well stuck to the skin.
- Cool – place the burn under cool running water for 20 minutes. Never use items like ice, oil or butter on a burn as these can make it worse.
- Cover the burn with a clean dressing.
- Seek medical attention if the burn or scald is on the face, hands, feet, genitals or buttocks, is larger than a 20-cent coin or blistered.
NATIONAL BURNS AWARENESS MONTH
National Burns Awareness Month is an initiative run by Kidsafe Australia in partnership with the Australian and New Zealand Burns Association (ANZBA). The campaign runs at the beginning of winter in June each year as there is a significantly increased risk of burns during winter months.
During National Burns Awareness Month, we are encouraging parents and carers to download and use our Burns Safety Checklist to prevent burns around the home, and to ensure they are aware of the correct first aid steps to take in the event that someone sustains a burn.
For more information about National Burns Awareness Month, including advice on burns prevention and first aid, please visit: https://www.kidsafevic.com.au/home-safety/fire-safety-burns-and-scalds/
Thank you Mat and Milla for bravely sharing your story to help prevent burns and scalds to other children.
