Even the best remedy can’t beat prevention. Take the following steps to help protect your child from burns:

Turn handles in on the stove. Probably the most common cause of indoor accidents that burn children is a pan of something hot falling (or being pulled) off the stove.

Put coffee out of reach. You’re sitting on the couch, relaxing, your cup of steaming hot coffee nearby on the aptly named coffee table. Before you know what’s happening, your toddling little boy grabs the cup and dumps it on himself.

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Here’s what to do when a burn occurs:

Put out the fire first. If your clothes are on fire, your first concern is to put out the flame. “Drop and roll,” says Crowley. If a hot object is responsible, remove it.

Know when to seek medical help. There are times when first-aid methods at home just won’t be enough. Get medical attention immediately if you have burns on your hands or face or over a joint, like the elbow; if your burns blister or you suspect that you have a third-degree burn; or if you’ve suffered chemical or electrical burns. Electrical burns can be “very, very tricky” says Crowley, because the damage often occurs out of sight, below the surface of the skin. In addition, consult your doctor before applying any products to burned skin.

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It can take just an instant: A harried cook grabs the pan of burning food out of the oven; a cup of hot coffee comes tumbling down over the side of the table onto a curious child; a toddler manages to turn on the hot-water faucet during bath time.

Many burns are minor and can be treated at home. The injured skin turns red; that’s known as a first-degree burn. Sometimes, tiny blood vessels may be damaged and may leak fluid, causing swelling and a weepy appearance. If blisters appear, the burn is classified as second degree. In third-degree burns, blisters do not form, and the skin turns white instead of red. “Usually, the deeper the burn, the less the pain,” says Mick Crowley, R.N., B.S.N., department manager of the Burn Care Center/ Neurosurgical Unit at University of Missouri Hospital and Clinics in Columbia.

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