• The new KKH Burn Centre is designed with a child-friendly philosophy to improve comfort and speed recovery.
• Specialised facilities enable seamless care and single-location treatment for reduced anxiety and better infection control.
• Therapy programmes are integrated with medical treatment to prioritise child emotional well-being.
• The facility is adaptable for multi-emergency response with rapid access to intensive care.

Up to 400 children are treated for burn injuries annually at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH). These include friction burns from road traffic accidents, scalds from hot soup, and contact burns from objects such as irons.

Children with burn injuries can now receive faster, more integrated care with the launch of Singapore’s first dedicated paediatric Burn Centre at KKH.

This new national paediatric burn unit offers increased capacity, innovative features and streamlined processes to shorten treatment times while strengthening infection control measures, to help every child have a more comfortable journey towards recovery.

One-stop, child-friendly burn care

“In the critical first hours after a child sustains a burn, fast and effective treatment can mean the difference between life and death – and it profoundly shapes their long-term recovery and development. Early, specialised care is crucial as children are not small adults – they experience pain more intensely, have underdeveloped coping skills and often have great difficulty understanding what is happening to them,” explains Dr Gale Lim, Head and Senior Consultant, Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, KKH.

“Our new facility is purpose-built to meet their unique needs, significantly improving both the physical healing and the mental resilience of our little ones,” adds Dr Lim.

The KKH Burn Centre offers features that speed up recovery and improve patient comfort. Staffed by a multidisciplinary team of plastic surgeons, nurses and allied health professionals, it offers continuum of care from acute treatment to rehabilitation.

Child-friendly philosophy Playful and brightly coloured interiors are designed to comfort and soothe anxiety from the moment the child arrives.
Seamless care from assessment to treatment Consultation rooms connected to treatment rooms, enhancing infection control and emergency response.	Single-location treatment to minimise stress A specialised shower bed for wound cleaning and drying eliminates movement between rooms, minimises infection risks and significantly reduces stress, fear and anxiety for children and caregivers.
Adaptable for multi-emergency response The burns procedure room can be quickly adapted to care for other types of casualty incidents, strengthening emergency response capability and capacity.	Rapid access to children’s intensive care Adjacent to the Children's Intensive Care Unit (CICU) enabling rapid access to critical care for patients with severe burns.

Holistic treatment that prioritises the child’s well-being

Guided by the principle that every touchpoint should be as comfortable, pain-free, and stress-free as possible for patients and their caregivers, the new KKH Burn Centre incorporates Child Life, Art and Music Therapy Programmes (CHAMPS) into treatment.

Using specialised intervention play techniques, therapists help young patients and their families cope with the challenges of burn treatment and hospitalisation, reducing stress and anxiety throughout their medical journey.

“The pain of a burn injury can be excruciating for a child and deeply distressing for the caregivers. By prioritising comfort and emotional well-being throughout their care journey, we help children respond more positively to procedures to accelerate and optimise their healing,” adds Dr Lim.

KKH is a ChildKind-certified institution, the first hospital to be recognised outside North America for its paediatric pain management.

Burns prevention and timely first aid remain the best defense

In 2024, the top three causes of burn injuries in children were:

• Scalds (from hot water, soups, and beverages, etc.): 71%
• Contact burns (from irons, hair curlers, pot covers, oven doors, etc.): 19%
• Friction burns (from treadmills and road traffic accidents): 5%

Of the 400 new cases seen at KKH annually over the past few years, 50 per cent are infants and toddlers aged two and below. Children aged five to 10 are also at high risk, accounting for a further 17 per cent.

All burn injuries are preventable and prevention remains the best defense. When burns occur, timely first aid plays a crucial role in controlling their severity and ensuring better recovery.