Children's burns unit opened by Taoiseach

IRELAND'S first specially-designed paediatric burns unit, at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Dublin, was officially opened yesterday by the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern.

More than three out of every five children whose burns are severe enough to warrant admission for more than two weeks are taken to Our Lady’s Hospital.

Such children were being routinely admitted to the hospital at a time when the specialist facilities they needed were unavailable.

The Taoiseach was welcomed to the balloon-festooned 650,000 unit, now called Ladybird Lane, by long-term burns patients, Ellen Connor from Wexford town and Daniel Brady from Cappoquin, Co Waterford.

Ellen, who is six-years-old, has made a remarkable recovery from burns caused to her stomach, arms and legs when her dress caught fire. She wears what looks like a silky, flesh-coloured undershirt to help her recover with minimal scarring.

Eight-year-old Daniel did not mind taking off his baseball cap to show the burns to his head that are now healing after three months of intensive treatment. Daniel, who went home yesterday, will have his scalp treated at a later date to help his hair grow over areas where the roots have been destroyed.

Standing proudly by was Glynis Peel, the unit’s clinical nurse manager.

Ms Peel played a leading role in the upgrade which was funded by the hospital’s many friends, including retailing group Musgrave’s.

The improved facilities at the new unit include four accommodation units specially designed for the care of burns patients aged between one and 16 years.

All patients are located in separate rooms to prevent infection. There are special isolation rooms with air filtering facilities for severely-burned children.

Most children with burns need to have their bandages changed at least once every two days, but removing them can be quite painful.

Ms Peel said the only way to remove the bandages that get stuck to the wound is by soaking them in water.

The unit now has a dedicated burns bathroom for this purpose.

The bath alone, complete with its own sterilising unit, cost over 30,000.

Ms Peel said most of the children treated at the unit had been burned by hot liquid or steam but needed the same level of skilled care and attention as children burned in a fire.

Seven children under the age of 10 died in house fires last year.