Introduction

For information relating to paediatric burns, please see Burns Unit : About RCH Burns Unit or Trauma Service : Burns

• Clinical Practice Guidelines : Burns - Acute Management
• Clinical Practice Guidelines : Burns - Post Acute Care and Dressings

When to refer

• Patients < 16 years old 

Referral criteria/required information

• History and assessment. Include:
  • Date of injury
  • Mechanism of injury (e.g., scald, contact, flame, chemical, etc)
  • Description of burn (TBSA & depth if known)
  • Details of any first aid
  • Treatment
  • Dressings
• Photos of the burn

How to refer

RCH Specialist Clinics Referral.pdf

Please complete the above and submit via:

• Fax (03) 9345 5034 or
• Email screferrals@rch.org.au and rch.burns@rch.org.au
• Urgent referral or clinical query call RCH on (03) 9345 5522 for paediatric surgery registrar on-call or RCH Burns CNC on (03) 9345 4343 (8am-4pm weekdays) 

Information for families

A child-friendly 'Be Positive' video about visiting the burns clinic can be found at: RCH TV : Burns clinic

Suggested pre-referral management

Burn Dressings:

• Consider appropriate procedural pain management
• Gently debride blisters and non-viable tissue
• Dress the burns with a silver dressing (ideally Acticoat 7 layered dressing- see below)
• Ensure family are aware to keep all dressings dry and intact until next review

Acticoat Dressing:

• Prepare layers as follows:
  • Mepitel: Omit this step if not available
  • Acticoat 7: Wet with water not saline. Acticoat 3 day product may be used if Acticoat 7 not available
  • Intrasite Conformable: Wet gauze may be used as alternative or impregnate gauze with Intrasite gel if intrasite not available
  • Cling Film: Cling film or Tegaderm may be used as occlusive layer
• Cut dressing to size. Cling Film should not exceed the borders of the Acticoat dressing
• Apply fixation
  • Hypafix
  • Secondary securement eg: Tubigrip/crepe bandage

Mepilex Ag:

• Can be used if no access to Acticoat
• Secure with Hypafix
• Not for deep dermal or full thickness burns

Face Burns:

• Avoid silver dressings near eyes
• Dressings can be placed to areas of forehead or cheek/jaw
• For undressed areas use paraffin (chlorsig if mucky)

*Ensure family are aware to continue face cares*

• Cleanse area twice daily with warm water and soft cloth
• Spread a thin layer of paraffin over affected areas
• Ensure previous layer of paraffin is cleaned away before applying again

Resources and links

• Kids Health Info : Burns – medical treatment
• Clinical Practice Guidelines : Burns - Acute Management
• Victorian Adult Burns Service at The Alfred | VicBurns
  

Acknowledgements

The development of this guideline was coordinated by the Department of Burns (Jess Cooper and Emma McDonald). Guideline reviewed in April 2025.