Your child will need wound care in the burn unit. This handout will help prepare you and your child.
What to Bring
A list of any new medicines or allergies.
Dressing supplies (if asked to do so at your child’s past visit).
Getting Ready
If your child is being sedated for wound care, they cannot have any food or drink in their stomach. If they eat or drink after the times listed, the sedation and wound care will be postponed. Follow the directions below:
6 hours before your child’s sedation: Stop all solid foods. Stop drinking milk, formula, and any other cloudy liquids.
4 hours before your child’s sedation: Stop breastmilk.
2 hours before your child’s sedation: Stop all clear liquids such as broth, clear juices, water, popsicles.
Pain Medicine
Your child should take pain medicine as directed one hour before the visit, even if not having pain. This medicine can be taken with a sip of water only. This visit may cause pain, so pain medicine is needed. It may work best to take the pain medicine once you park your car for the visit, prior to entering the hospital.
During Your Child’s Visit
Please arrive at the time listed in your After Visit Summary. Enter through the main hospital entrance of University Hospital. Check in at Admissions on the 2nd floor before going to the Burn Unit. The nurse will check your child in and ask some questions.
Sedation
If your child is going to be sedated, they will drink medicine before the visit. The medicine may take 10-30 minutes to work.
The medicine can take a few hours to wear off. Each child reacts differently, so the time can vary. Your child must be awake before leaving the hospital. Before you leave, we will make sure your child can eat and drink safely.
Wound Care
Once your child is sedated, we will remove the dressings. The wound will be washed with soap and water. We will see how the wound is healing and take pictures for the medical record. We will decide if any changes are needed and will then apply a new dressing.
Dressings at Home
Do not remove the dressings at home. We will remove them during your child’s next visit. Keep the dressings clean and dry.
Who to Call
If you have questions, please contact your provider through MyChart or call your provider listed in your After Visit Summary or After Hospital Care Plan. For a list of UW Health Clinics, please visit http://www.uwhealth.org/.