If you are the parent, guardian, caregiver, of a burned child in need anywhere in Africa, you can approach us for help.
If you are a doctor, nurse, or run a hospital, or run another charity, you can ask for help for a burned child.
Our ability to help you will depend on the kindness of airlines, the efficiency of governments, and the skills of the medical fraternity in this continent and further afield. We have limited funds but can access a lot of goodwill and knowledge globally.
Many children are referred to us many years after they were injured.
The damage due to lack of treatment or to delayed treatment, cannot necessarily be undone.
There is a higher chance of success if we see the child within two years of injury. A full diagnosis cannot usually be given from photos alone.
Where possible, you should send detailed information after the initial inquiry.
That should include e.g. height, weight, vaccination record, exact age, date of injury, family composition.
It should include other medical factors that can affect the child's treatment. By seeking help from Children of Fire you are committing to our use of the basic medical information and photos for further academic medical study.
That information will often be placed on this website.
This website is used extensively by doctors and medical students who want to gain an understanding of the causes of burns injury and of the ways in which to mitigate the damage caused by burns.
It is not reasonable for us to make often-considerable efforts for your child, and for you then to insist all mention of them is removed from the website.
If we cannot share information, we cannot move burns care forward in Africa.
There are key differences in causes of burns in different areas of Africa.
There are traditional practices that lead to different types of injury.
And there are harmful home remedies that lead to permanent damage to the child.
The intention of this website, as and when we are able to maintain it, is to be able to document:
the key causes of burns injury
the key solutions for burns injury
the centres of excellence in burns care (sometimes this is one person in one African country)
other charities or institutions which can provide help
There are (or will be) sections on the website that cover:
Hand injuries and surgery
Pressure garments and their use
Thermoplastic splinting
Diet for burns patients
Burns psychology
Foot burns
Inhalation injury
Calvarial defects
Cartilage to rebuild noses and ears
Prosthetic ears and noses
Chest burns and reconstruction
Epilepsy and burns
And more.
There are, or will be, sections on the website that cover:
Paraffin / Kerosene burns
Ethanol gel burns
Accelerant burns
Flame burns
Hot Liquid burns
Electrical burns
Burns through war
Burns through torture
Acid burns
Other chemical burns
By seeking our help, you are making a commitment to sharing knowledge with the intention of making Africa a safer place.
That knowledge may also be of use to other areas of the developing world, particularly where injuries stem from poverty, overcrowding, open-flame fuel sources, ignorance or superstition.
Now that you have read this and agreed to it, please send us your queries and requests for help.
The central email address is: firechildren@icon.co.za
