Initiative for children injured by fire

“Stay away from the stove! ”. Everyone has heard or said it before. Toddlers in particular are not yet aware of danger and the home environment quickly becomes dangerous.

More than 30,000 children and adolescents under 15 years of age suffer burns and scalds in Germany every year. Around 7,000 of them must be treated as inpatients. Children under 5 years of age are the most frequently affected. The effects are serious as children's skin is very sensitive and far more susceptible to heat. Hot coffee is enough to scald a third of the body surface in a matter of seconds.

Paulinchen e.V. has therefore set itself the task of carrying out prevention work and actively advising and accompanying families with children injured by fire. When admitted and left the hospital, those affected receive a flyer with initial information after the accident and on post-accident treatment and rehabilitation.

Parents often come to “Paulinchen” afterwards with their children and many questions and concerns. The association advises and supports those affected both medically and emotionally. In order to provide the best possible care, the association draws on its network of specialist doctors and specialized clinics.

The association currently has 1,600 members, around a third of whom are doctors and firefighters, and two thirds are affected. In order to enable as many people affected as possible to join the association, membership fees are very low. The majority of funding comes from voluntary donations.

An important component of assistance to those affected is the exchange between those affected. A stroke of fate is difficult to process and leaves behind not only physical but also emotional scars. In order to offer support to those affected and not leave them alone, various projects have been launched. The “Paulinchen Seminar” offers both parents and children the opportunity to get together and exchange ideas with other people affected. Psychologists, pastors and therapists offer a point of contact to work through what they have experienced together. A specialist is also available to answer questions and topics relating to corrective surgery. Compression clothing, for example, is checked. In order to provide a space in which children and young people do not have to worry about their scars, a swimming pool is also rented, where children and young people can let off steam in a protected environment.

The association also offers youth weekends. Once a year, young people between the ages of 15 and 21 with burns meet and experience an exciting weekend together. During joint activities, the young people get to know each other and can share their experiences in a relaxed environment.

“Paulinchen” has published a flyer for the U2 investigation so that parents come into contact with the topic as early as possible. It provides brief tips for raising awareness among young parents and also contains prevention messages in English, Turkish and Arabic.

In addition, “Paulinchen” provides those affected with advice and assistance via the advice hotline 0800 0 112 123. The hotline is staffed exclusively by consultants who are affected themselves and have had similar experiences.

On December 7, 2023, the association organizes the annual, nationwide “Day of the Burn Injured Child”. This day was created, among other things, to explain the risks of accidents and to provide information about the consequences of burns and scalds. Clinics, kindergartens, daycare centers, fire departments and other institutions are invited to organise activities. Interested parties can contact the webpage Register as a partner from “Paulinchen” and receive information material free of charge.

By the way: Anyone interested in the formation and development of the association can read the latest on the topic podcast episode Listen to “Paulinchen.”

To support the association and its important work, IP Dynamics donated 5,000 euros as part of its annual Christmas donation.