When visiting a friend, you see an 18-month-old toddler pull a scalding cup of tea off a table onto himself. Your first action should be to:

Choice A rationale Applying butter to a burn is a harmful practice. Butter holds heat against the skin, which can worsen the tissue damage. Additionally, it can trap bacteria, increasing the risk of infection. The oil in the butter can also interfere with proper medical evaluation and treatment of the burn. Choice B rationale Wrapping the child in a blanket and rushing him to the hospital is not the first action. The immediate priority is to stop the burning process. The heat from the scalding tea continues to damage tissue. A blanket can also retain heat and worsen the burn. The priority is to cool the skin first. Choice C rationale Removing the shirt is a good idea to prevent the trapped heat from worsening the burn, but applying burn ointment is not the first action. Immediate cooling with water is the priority. Burn ointments can trap heat and complicate medical assessment, as they must be removed before the burn can be properly evaluated. Choice D rationale Pouring cool water over the affected skin is the immediate and most effective first action. The cool water stops the burning process by dissipating the heat from the skin, minimizing the depth and severity of the burn. This action prevents further tissue damage and reduces pain.