In November Cooper’s dad was doing some yard work and had a fire in their backyard. Cooper was running around and playing, and as toddlers do, took a stumble, and burned his hand badly on their big metal fire pit.
His parents, Kim and Andre, rushed him to the Alberta Children’s Hospital Emergency Department, where nurses quickly treated Cooper’s second-degree burn by cleaning it and patching it up with foam gauze and a mitten. They also gave the family the next steps for Cooper to make sure his recovery went well.
Kim says as the amazing team took care of Cooper, they also took care of her and Andre, who were feeling wracked with guilt about the accident. The team assured them that accidents happen and everything was going to be okay, which was such a gift in that moment.
Cooper was referred to the hospital’s Burn Treatment Services, where they worked with physiotherapist Doug Baron. “We cannot say enough amazing things about Doug. Cooper was comfortable with what they were doing,” Kim says, adding the team made sure he experienced minimal pain, and he was able to watch TV while he received treatment, which included dressing changes every two days.
Cooper had to stay home from daycare while he was undergoing treatment as his hand needed to stay dry. He was able to return to daycare after a week and within a couple of weeks his hand fully healed. Kim says his hand looks fantastic – you would never know it was burned.
Kim says the experience left them feeling so thankful for the incredible care and resources at the Alberta Children’s Hospital and she is beyond grateful it exists. “Before having kids, you knew it was there and never realized how special of a place it is. You don’t realize it until you’re in it.”
