| How to Teach Your Child to Read Posted: 12 Nov 2019 04:00 PM PST Teaching a child to read is a fulfilling and educational process, both for the parent and child. Whether you home school your kids or just want to give your child a head-start, you can begin teaching your child to read at home. With the right tools and tactics, your child will be reading in no time. [Edit]Starting Early - Read to your child on a regular basis. As with all things, it's difficult to learn anything without exposure to it. In order to get your child interested in reading, you should be reading to them on a regular basis. If you're able, this should start when they are an infant and continue through their school years. Read books with stories they comprehend; at a young age this may lead you to read 3-4 small books a day.
- Books that combine other senses besides listening help your small child to comprehend the story as you read it. For example, read many books that have pictures, tactile pages, sounds, or have accompanying scents.
- Try reading them books that might slightly challenge their comprehension level but that have an interesting or engaging story.[1]
- Ask interactive questions. Even before your child learns to read, they can learn reading comprehension. As you read stories to them aloud, ask them questions about the characters or the plot. For a toddler, these may be questions like "Do you see the dog? What is the dog's name?". The questions can escalate in difficulty as the reading level does.
- Help to teach your child critical thinking skills by asking open-ended questions about stories. You might not hear complex verbal responses until your child is four or five years old, but ask away and be patient.
- Make books easily accessible. It's no good if you have books around, but located in places that your child can't easily take them. Keep books low to the ground and in typical play-areas so that your child begins to associate them with play activities.
- Because your child may be touching and reading the books often, be sure to choose ones that have wipeable pages and that aren't incredibly sentimental. Pop-up books may not be the best option for young children.
- A fancy bookshelf may seem like the most attractive option, but until your child is in school focus on the utilitarian purposes of book storage.
- Set up a reading space next to the bookshelf. Set some beanbags, pillows, and comfy chairs around to sit in while reading. The top of the bookshelf can hold cups and snacks for having while reading.
- Set a good example. Show your child that reading is interesting and worthwhile by reading for yourself. Spend a minimum of ten minutes a day reading when your child is around, so that they see you enjoying the activity on your own. Even if you're not an avid reader, find something to read - a magazine, the newspaper, or a cookbook all count. Soon they'll become interested in reading on their own, simply as a result of seeing you doing it too.
- Include your child in your reading time. If you're reading something child-friendly, tell them about what you're reading. Accompany this by pointing to words on the page to help them connect the lines on the page with the sounds that form words.
- Get access to a library. This can be done in two ways: create your own mini-library at home by collecting dozens of books in your child's reading level, or make weekly trips to the local public library together to check out books. Having a variety of books on hand (especially with an older child) will add interest for reading, and help to incorporate more vocabulary into their knowledge base.
- That being said, don't turn down a request to re-read a favorite book just because it's already been read a dozen times. [2]
- Start to make word-sound associations. Before you even start getting into the alphabet and sound specifics, help your child recognize that the lines on the page are directly correlated to the words you are speaking. As you read aloud to them, point to each word on the page at the same time you say it. This will help your child grasp the pattern of words/lines on the page relating to the words you speak in terms of length and sound.
- Avoid using flashcards. Some companies have advertised specialized flashcards to help babies, toddlers, and preschool age children to read. In general, flashcards are not the most useful or effective technique for teaching reading skills. Time spent reading stories with your child will be much more beneficial than flashcards. "Reading aloud to young children, particularly in an engaging manner, promotes emergent literacy and language development and supports the relationship between child and parent. In addition it can promote a love for reading which is even more important than improving specific literacy skills."[3]
[Edit]Teaching the Basics - Teach your child the alphabet. When your child has developed word awareness, begin breaking down words into individual letters. Although the alphabet song is the most classic means of teaching the alphabet, try getting creative. Explain each of the letters with their name, but don't worry about trying to incorporate the sounds the letters make yet.
- Teach lowercase letters first. Capital letters account for only five percent of all letters in writing English. Therefore, pay more attention to teaching the lowercase letters. lowercase letters are far more important in developing reading skills.
- Try making each of the letters out of play-DOH, playing a toss game (where the child tosses a beanbag/ball onto a specific letter on the floor), or fishing for foam letters in the bathtub. These are all interactive games that encourage development on multiple levels.[4]
- Develop phonemic awareness. One of the most important steps in teaching reading is associating a spoken sound with a letter or letter-pair. This process is known as phonemic awareness. There are 44 speech sounds created by the 26 letters in our alphabet, and each sound must be taught paired with its letter(s) counterpart. This includes the long and short sound produced by each individual letter, as well as the specialized sounds some combined letters make (like 'ch' and 'sh').
- Focus on a single letter/part/sound at a time. Avoid confusion and build a solid foundation by working at a steady pace through all of the speech sounds.
- Give real life examples of each speech sound; for example, state that the letter 'A' makes the 'ah' sound, like at the beginning of the word 'apple.' This can be turned into a guessing game, when you speak an easy word (like apple) and have the child guess the letter that it starts with.
- Use games similar to those used when teaching the alphabet, that combine critical thinking on the part of the child in order to determine sound/letter correlations. See the aforementioned list for ideas, but substitute in sounds.
- It is easier for children to develop phonemic awareness when words are broken down into their smallest parts. This can be done with the clapping game (clapping out each syllable in a word) or by sounding-out words into their individual letters.[5]
- Teach your child rhymes. Rhyming teaches phonemic awareness and letter recognition, in addition to the most basic English words. Read nursery rhymes to your child, and then eventually make lists of easy-to-read rhymes such as mop, top, flop, pop, and cop. Your child will begin to see the patterns of sounds that are made when certain letters are combined - in this case, the sound 'o-p' makes.
- Teach your child to read using explicit phonics. Traditionally, children are taught to recognize a word based on its size, the first and last letters, and the general sound. This method of teaching is known as implicit phonics - working from the largest piece down. However, studies have shown that readable vocabulary dramatically increases (from 900 words to 30,000 words by the third grade) when taught in the opposite fashion: breaking each word into the smallest parts, and building them up into a full word - explicit phonics. Help your child to begin reading by having them sound-out each individual letter without looking at the overall word first.
- Don't move onto explicit phonics until your child has developed adequate phonemic awareness. If they cannot associate sounds with letters or letter pairs quickly, they need a bit more practice before moving onto complete words.
- Have your child practice decoding. Classically known as 'sounding out' words, decoding is when a child reads a word by making the sounds of each individual letter, rather than trying to read the whole word at once. Reading is broken up into two primary parts: decoding/reading a word, and comprehending its meaning. Don't expect your child to recognize and comprehend words just yet; have them focus on decoding and sounding out word parts..
- Don't use whole stories or books yet; have your child read from word lists or from a basic story (not focusing on the plot). This is another great time to use rhymes for practice.
- Decoding aloud is typically easier for the child (and you) to learn how to say the word. Have them break it into parts with clapping if necessary.
- Do not be rigid in how the child pronounces the sounds. Regional accents and weak auditory skills make it hard for children to say most sounds in an academically correct way. Accept a reasonable effort. Recognize that learning sounds is only an intermediate step to learning to read, it is not the goal.[6]
- Do not worry about grammar.. Preschoolers, kindergartners, and first graders are very concrete in the way they think and cannot handle complicated concepts. By age four, most English speaking children already have an excellent grasp of grammar and in due time, they will learn all the formal grammatical rules. At this point, you need to concentrate only on the mechanical skill of reading, that is learning to decode new words and incorporating them in memory to build fluency.
- Build up an archive of sight words. Certain words in the English vocabulary are spoken often, but don't follow the typical phonics rules. These words are easier to memorize by shape association than by sound, and are therefore known as 'sight words.' Some sight words include 'they,' 'she', 'an,' 'said,' and 'the.' The complete list of sight words, called the Dolch list, can be found online and broken down into sections to work through.
- Show your child sight words on a piece of paper. Le them copy it and after telling them what the word is, ask them to tell YOU what the words is.
[Edit]Increasing Difficulty - Begin giving your child complete stories. Odds are, your child will be in school by the time they are able to read and will be given their own reading material by their teachers. Help them to read these whole stories by encouraging explicit phonics use, and recognizing vocabulary. As their word recognition increases, they'll be able to more fully understand story plots and meanings.
- Allow your child to look at the pictures - it doesn't count as cheating if they do. Image and word association is a helpful aspect of building vocabulary.
- Have your child describe the story to you. After every reading session, have your child describe what the story was about to you. Try to get them to be detailed, but don't expect an elaborate response. An easy and fun way to help encourage this is to use puppets who represent characters in the story, so your child can describe it to you through them.
- Ask questions about the stories. Similar to when you were reading stories to your child, every time your child reads ask them questions about what they've just read. At first it will be difficult for them to think critically about meanings of words and the buildup of character development and plot (or the semblance of those things in the most basic of stories), but over time they will develop the necessary skills to answer questions.
- Make a questions list that your child can read; their ability to read and understand the provided questions is nearly as helpful as answering the questions themselves.
- Start with direct questions, such as 'who was the main character in the book?,' instead of more abstract questions like 'why was the main character upset?'
- Incorporate writing in with the reading. Reading is a necessary precursor to writing, but as your child develops reading skills have them practice their writing in conjunction. Children learn to read faster and easier if they learn to write at the same time. The motor memory of the letters, listening to their sounds and seeing them in writing will reinforce new learning. So, teach your child to write letters and words.
- You'll notice an enhanced reading ability as your child learns to spell by decoding and sounding out words. Work slowly though, and don't expect perfection.
- Continue reading to your child. Just as you taught your child the joy of reading before they knew how, you should continue to promote reading by reading to/with them on a daily basis. They'll develop a stronger phonemic awareness when they can see words as you read them, rather than struggling to do both at the same time themselves.
- Have your child read aloud to you. You'll be given a better idea of your child's reading ability when they read out loud, and they'll be forced to slow down their reading to correctly sound out words. Avoid stopping your child to correct them while reading though, as doing so can interrupt their train of thought and make comprehending what they're reading more difficult.
- Reading out loud doesn't have to be limited to stories; whenever you are around words, have your child sound them out to you. Road signs are a great example of something your child sees on a daily basis, and can practice reading out loud to you.[7]
- If your child has no patience to learn to read and would rather watch TV, try turning on the closed-captions and encouraging them to follow along.
- Babies and Toddlers cannot learn how to sound out words. They can recognize symbols and correlate them to familiar objects or vocabulary, but words are complex symbols, and flashcards are not likely to lead to true mastery (e.g. distinguishing cork from clock, or agree from argue)
- Most children are not developmentally ready to begin sounding out words until about 5-7 years of age.
- Many children begin to develop phonemic awareness at age four. You could begin teaching the sounds of letters at about four years. Simple reading instructions can be started about the same time.
- Don't rush into it! Give your child time. Read to them at least every day.
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Apply for a Grant Posted: 12 Nov 2019 08:00 AM PST A grant is money given by one party to another that does not need to be repaid. Grants are typically given by a government agency or philanthropic organization to fund specific projects by a nonprofit entity, educational institution, a business or an individual. By locating, applying for and winning relevant grants, you or your organization may get the funding to support your project. Although each grant requires different processes, the sample documents below provide a good overview for the documents that may be required for applying to grants. [Edit]Sample Grant Documents [Edit]Applying for US Federal Government Grants - Identify potential grants. You can identify potential grant funding opportunities by searching the federal government's grant website located at: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/search-grants.html.
 - The website allows you to search by keyword, funding opportunity number or CFDA (Catalog for Federal Domestic Assistance) Number, which is the five-digit number assigned to the grant by the federal government.
- If you are searching for new grant opportunities, perform a keyword search that best reflects your business products, research areas or business needs.
- Quickly review the search results by clicking on the Funding Opportunity Number, which is a hyperlink that will redirect you to additional information about the grant. There will be four hyperlink tabs (Synopsis, Version History, Related Documents and Package), read through the description of the grant to determine whether it meets your needs.
- Once you have preliminarily identified a list of potential grants, closely read the grant's eligibility section and the full announcement to determine whether you meet the requirements, scope of work or research parameters of the grant. You can review the full announcement and other supporting documents by selection the Related Documents Tab and then clicking on the relevant documents.
- Download a Grant Application Package. Once you have determined that you meet the eligibility and scope of work requirements, download the grant application.
- You can download the grant application by selecting the Application tab and then by selection the "select package" hyperlink listed under "Actions." You will be prompted to provide your email address to receive grant updates and then given the option to download the materials.
- You can also download grant application packages by entering the grant's Funding Opportunity Number or CFDA Number here: https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms_apps_idx.html.
- The benefit of downloading a grant application package is that it allows you to complete and review your materials offline before submitting the finished application.[1]
- Register with Grants.gov. In order to submit a grant application, you must register with grants.gov as either an individual or business applicant. You can register online at:http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html. Generally, you will need to provide the following information:
 - As an individual registrant, you must know funding number of the grant for which you are applying. You can enter the funding number at this website: https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/IndCPRegister and then click the "register" button. You will be redirected to a registration form which you will fill out and that will prompt you to create a username and password.[2]
- Organizations registering with the grant website must first obtain a DUNS number, which is a nine-digit business identifying number. You can register online at: https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/pages/CCRSearch.jsp or call 1-866-705-5711.[3] You will need the following information to get your DUNS number: your legal name; the name and address of your business headquarters; any other organization names used by your business; the mailing address if different from the physical or business address; and a business telephone number, contact name and title. You may also need to provide the number of employees at your organization.[4]
- Organizations must also register with the System Award Management (SAM). You can register at https://www.sam.gov by providing the name of your organization's authorizing official of your organization and an Employer Identification Number (EIN).
- Organizations can complete their Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) profile and create a username and password by using their DUNS number to register here: https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/OrcRegister
- You must then use your username and password to log into grants.gov in order to request access and approval. Once you complete these steps and you are approved, your organization will be registered with Grants.gov and able to submit grant applications.[5]
- Review instructions. Each grant will provide you with instructions in addition to the grant application materials. You must closely review the instructions when preparing your grant proposal.
- Instructions on how to open and use the forms in the package are on the application package cover sheet. #*Agency specific instructions can be downloaded with your application and will include information required for your submission.
- Write your grant materials. Most grants require that you submit a grant proposal that clearly shows how you meet all of the grant's requirements, a budget and what you intend to accomplish with the grant money. You can review sample documents provided above. Generally, your proposal should include:
- Information that meets all of the requirements of the grant.
- A typo-free and grammatically correct document that persuasively sets forth your project aims.
- Check for formatting requirements, such as font and page limits, and be sure to follow those requirements exactly.
- Any documents that were required or that support your grant application such as tax documents or business documents.
- Submit the completed Grant Application Package. Once you have finalized your materials, you are ready to submit your grant.
- Open the finalized grant application and click the "save" button located on the grant application cover page.
- Next, click "save" button on the cover page.
- You will have the opportunity to click a "Check Package for Errors" button. You should use this option as the system will let you know if you have included all of the required information. Correct any errors that the system finds.
- Click the "Save & Submit" button and save the application. You will only have this option once all errors have been rectified. You must save the application in order to begin the submission process.
- Once you select "Save & Submit," you will be prompted to enter your username and password. You will be provided instructions on how to finalize your submission.
- Once your submission is complete, the system will provide you with confirmation information and a tracking number for your submission. Be sure to save this information.
- Track your application. You can track the status of your application by entering the tracking number at the following website: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/track-my-application.html. The system will tell you if your application was received but will not tell you whether you were awarded the grant. This information will come directly from the agency awarding the grant money.
[Edit]Applying for a Federal Pell Grant - Choose a college that is a right fit and accepts Pell grants. Choosing the right college is an important decision. The amount of financial aid you receive may help you narrow down your choices. Pell grants are financial awards given based on economic need to low-income undergraduates and some students seeking degrees beyond college.[6] If you think that you may qualify for a Pell grant, consider the following:
- Pell grants do not need to be repaid like student loans. Therefore, if you qualify for a Pell grant you can significantly reduce the amount of your college tuition with no further financial repayment obligation.
- When choosing a college, you should check with the school's financial aid office to make sure that they participate in the Pell grant program.
- When researching schools, be sure to identify the Federal School Code for each school so that you can include it on your financial aid application. By identifying this information before filling your application, you ensure that your financial aid information is sent directly to those schools.[7] You can locate Federal School Codes at https://fafsa.ed.gov/FAFSA/app/schoolSearch?locale=en_EN here.
- Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The U.S. Department of Education uses a student's FAFSA to decide a student's eligibility for federal student aid. In order to be eligible for a Pell grant or numerous other federal student aid funding possibilities, you must complete a FAFSA. You can apply for FAFSA online at https://fafsa.ed.gov and will be required to provide the following information:
- Your social security number or, if you are not a U.S. citizen, your alien registration number;
- Your most recent federal income tax returns, W-2s and other documents showing your income;
- Bank statements and/or investment information;
- Information showing any un-taxed income, if applicable; and
- Your FSA id. If you do not have an FSA id, you can register for one at https://fsaid.ed.gov/npas/index.htm.
- If you are a dependent student, you will need to provide the above information for your parents.
- You can include the college codes for up to 10 schools to which you plan to apply.
- Receive your Student Aid Report (SAR). Once your FAFSA is reviewed, you will receive a Student Aid Report that is based on the financial information included in your FAFSA. Your SAR will provide you and the colleges to which you apply the following information:
- The information that you included on your FAFSA.
- The Expected Family Contribution, which is the financial amount the government expects you to contribute to your education. This number is used by colleges to determine the amount of your eligibility for financial aid.[8]
- Your SAR will indicate whether you are eligible for a Pell grant.[9]
- Submit your college applications and wait for your financial aid package. After you submit your college applications and you are accepted, the school will provide you with your financial aid package. If you were eligible for a Pell grant and the school participates in the program, then the Pell grant should be included in your aid package.
- You can also apply to schools before filling out the FAFSA.
[Edit]Applying for Grants in the European Union - Locate relevant grant programs. Similar to the Grants.gov website in the United States, the European Union created a centralized website where users could search for grants and public contracts. Grants are used to co-finance specific projects or missions and usually hold open calls for proposals.[10] The grant website is located at http://ec.europa.eu/contracts_grants/grants_en.htm.
- Rather than providing a keyword search function, the European Commission created categories for grants such as "Culture, Education and Youth," and Employment and Social Rights.
- After clicking on the link identified above, you will be redirected to the grant category list. Identify the category that most closely relates to your business or project and click on the category name.
- You will be redirected to open grants, also referred to as call for proposals. This page will show you all of the available grants under the selected category.
- Review the materials. Select each grant under the subheading and closely read the materials related to the grant to determine whether your project or business meets the grant's requirements.
- Closely read the document entitled "call for proposals" (CFP). Occasionally, there will be multiple CFPs and you should review each one, paying particular attention to the most recent.
- CFPs will outline the grant application process. Your proposal must address each grant requirement in order to be considered.
- Understand the limitations of EU grants. All EU grants are a form of complementary financing, meaning that they do not finance projects up to 100%. Only projects taking place outside the European Union have the possibility to be financed in full.
- The purpose of EU grants is to allow grant beneficiaries to break-even financially and they are not meant to help generate a profit.
- Typically, grants are awarded to public or private organizations, and on rare occasions they are awarded to individuals.
- Apply for a grant. There are a variety of agencies that manage grants and each grant has different application policies and procedures. An organization that intends to apply for grants should consider the following:.
- You must identify the agency or E.U. State that is managing a particular grant. Each agency publishes information about the grant programs that they offer and it is important to review these materials. You can locate a list of managing agencies through a search option at: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/index.cfm/en/atlas/managing-authorities/.
- You must determine whether there are regional limitations to funding by determining which agency manages grants in your region and then contact them to receive specific information about the grants for which you are interested. You can locate contact information for managing agencies through the above link.[11]
- Once you have determined that you are eligible, follow the specific grant instructions for applying and include all requested information.
[Edit]Applying for Carnegie Corporation Grants - Determine if your project meets the funding criteria. The Carnegie Corporation always accepts requests for funding, however it only welcomes inquiries from potential grantee organizations whose work fits within their grant-making programs: education; democracy; higher education and research in Africa; and International peace and security. Carnegie grants are available to universities, colleges, and institutions related to higher learning and citizenship. They do not offer grants to:
- Individuals.
- Religious organizations.
- Political campaigns.
- Scholarships and endowments.
- Send a letter of inquiry. Write a letter of inquiry that addresses the following points in five pages or less:
- What problem does your project address and why is this issue significant?
- Explain how the project meets the current programs' requirements.
- Set forth the strengths and skills that your organization and personnel bring to the project.
- Identify who will lead the project, key personnel and attach their resumes.
- What will the project prove and what methods will you use? If the project is already under way, what have you accomplished so far? What outcomes do you expect, both immediate and long term?
- If you are requesting funding from Carnegie Corporation for a component(s) of a larger project, describe the specific activities that you are requesting the Corporation to fund and how they relate to the larger project.
- List all sources of potential support.
- What plans do you have to disseminate information to the public about your project?[12]
- Wait for a response. If the proposed project fits the Foundation's guidelines, you may be contacted within six weeks and asked to submit a proposal in the Corporation's format.
- To download a federal government grant application package, you'll need an Adobe software version is compatible with Grants.gov.
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Get Rid of Burn Scars Posted: 12 Nov 2019 12:00 AM PST Burn scars are the elevated, fibrous tissue left behind after you've received a serious first- or second-degree burn. If the scar tissue is relatively light, remove it with a moisturizing cream or silicone gel sheets. For scars left by more serious burns, try removing them through massage therapy or, for very deep or large scars, through surgery. In the case of more serious scarring (e.g., from third-degree burns), you won't be able to fully remove the scar from your body, but you may be able to lighten the scar's appearance. [Edit]Applying Topical Treatments - Use an over-the-counter moisturizing cream if the scar itches. Burn scars are often itchy. If you scratch them with your fingernails, the scar may tear open or bleed. Instead, apply an OTC moisturizer to the scar. Apply the cream 2–3 times a day by gently massaging it into the scarred area. Select a fragrance-free moisturizer to avoid agitating the burn scar and, for the same reason. Avoid medicated anti-itch creams.[1]
- Moisturizers are great to use while the burn scar is still fresh. They'll help the scar recede and prevent it from growing large and unsightly. However, do wait until any blistering has healed before applying a moisturizer to the scar.
- Put an emollient cream on the scar to protect it from damage. Once any blisters on the skin have healed, the scar won't be at risk of or breaking open. Wait another 3-4 days until the scar tissue stops feeling tender. At this point, apply an emollient cream at least once per day.[2] Emollient creams will moisturize the scar and help it reabsorb into the surrounding skin. They'll also reduce redness and protect the scar tissue from being damaged.[3]
- Emollient creams are heavier and thicker than moisturizers, although not as heavy as an ointment.
- Purchase an OTC emollient cream at any large drugstore or pharmacy.
- Keep the burned tissue out of the sun. The ultraviolet rays produced by the sun can darken the color of your scar, making it much more visible. To keep the scar from darkening, use clothing and sunscreen to protect the scar from sunlight.[4] Practical steps you can take include:
- Wearing a large-brimmed hat if the burn is on your face or neck.
- Wearing loose clothing that covers the scarring if it's on your body.
- Applying sunscreen (at least 30 SPF) to the burn if you can't cover it with clothing.
- Apply silicone gel sheets to second-degree burn scars. Silicone gel sheets hold medical silicone gel against the burn scar, which has been proven to help lighten and remove scar tissue. The sheets are adhesive, and will stay against your skin once you press them firmly into place. Purchase silicone gel sheets at any pharmacy or drugstore. Since they aren't medicated, you won't need a prescription.[5] For best effects, keep the gel sheet on for 12 hours at a time.[6]
- In order for the silicone gel to work, it's important that you keep the burn scar and surrounding skin clean. Wash your burn scar with soap and water before you apply the silicone gel sheet. If you don't, you'll trap irritants and bacteria under the gel sheet and risk infecting the scar.
- Do not apply silicone gel sheets to an open burn blister.
[Edit]Removing Scars with Massages and Lasers - Meet with a doctor or burn therapist to discuss your options. If you've tried to get rid of burn scars with OTC creams and silicone gel sheets but not had any luck, you need to meet with a medical professional. Start by talking with your general practitioner, who may refer you to a dermatologist or burn specialist.[7]
- These professionals can help you figure out the best course of action for your particular burn scars.
- Receive weekly massages to loosen and shrink the scar. Receiving a massage from a professional massage artist will stretch and loosen the burned skin. This will make the scar tissue more flexible and less sensitive, and will also allow the scar to lighten in color.[8] Ideally, receiving massages over a long period of time (e.g., 6 months) will lighten the scar tissue enough that it's no longer visible.
- If you've seen a burn-scar therapist, ask them to recommend a massage artist who has worked with burn victims before.
- Perform massages on yourself at home if your doctor allows. Massage treatments can be expensive, and often the massage techniques used are fairly straightforward. If it's alright with your doctor or burn specialist, once you've received 3–5 professional massages, begin massaging yourself at home. Common techniques include stretching, rolling, and kneading the burned area(s). You can learn these techniques by watching your massage therapist perform them on your burn scars.[9]
- If the burn scar is in an area that you cannot reach, ask a friend or family member to massage you.
- Ask about laser treatments to remove large, dark scarring. Large scars that comprise hairless, shiny, raised skin can be tough to remove. One of the common methods of lightening them is through laser treatments. The application of lasers may remove the scars' dark red color and soften the scar tissue, although it may take 1-2 weeks before you begin to see results. Laser treatments can also decrease pain and itching caused by the scar.[10]
- Talk with your doctor or burn-scar therapist to find a doctor who can perform the laser scar removal. The therapist may recommend that you receive laser treatments in addition to—or instead of—massages.
- While combining laser treatments with massage won't necessarily help you get rid of your scar tissue any faster, the added massages will help loosen the scar tissue in ways that laser treatments won't.
[Edit]Getting Rid of Scars with Injections and Surgery - Consider steroid injections to reduce raised, thick burn scars. Thick, dense scars that won't shrink with massage or laser therapy can often be treated with steroid injections. When steroids are injected directly into scar tissue, they shrink the size of the scar and soften the tissue, often over a period of 5-7 days. Ask your doctor if steroid injections will help get rid of your burn scar.[11] These injections can be administered by your general practitioner or by a burn-scar specialist.
- Thick, raised, smooth burn scars are medically referred to as "keloid" scars. In some cases, keloid scars may expand and grow past the limits of the initial burn.
- Ask your burn therapist about surgery if other methods aren't effective. In the case of severe or widespread scarring (e.g., from third-degree burns), surgery may be the only means of removing the scarred tissue. In most cases, surgery is performed to increase the burn victim's range of motion, since large patches of scar tissue can restrict movement.[12]
- However, surgery can also have cosmetic benefits by reducing the darkness and size of burn scars.
- Discuss the types of surgery available. Depending on the type and severity of your burn scars, your burn therapist may recommend different types of surgery. For example, to increase the mobility of the burned skin and lessen the scar's appearance, the therapist may recommend a Z-plasty. Or, if the scarred skin needs to be fully replaced, they'll suggest a skin flap or a fat graft. In a skin flap surgery, the surgeons will remove healthy skin (along with muscle and fatty tissue) from a non-burned part of your body and graft it over the burn scar. For a fat graft, the surgeon will remove fat from a non-burned part of your body and insert it beneath the burn scar.[13]
- Other types of surgery often performed on burn scars include tissue expansion and dermabrasion.
- Performing a tissue expansion allows doctors to stretch out the skin beneath your scar tissue and, eventually, to scrape off the scar tissue, leaving healthy skin tissue in its place. In a dermabrasion, the doctor will scrape off the top layer of your burn scar to smooth the scar's overall appearance.
- The likelihood of a burn scarring is related to how much time it takes to heal. Burns that take less than 14 days (2 weeks) to heal are unlikely to scar, while burns that take longer than 21 days (3 weeks) to heal are almost guaranteed to scar. Burns that take between 14 and 21 days to heal may or may not scar.[14]
[Edit]Warnings - Although it's rare, some people have allergic reactions to silicone gel. If your skin burns or turns red after you've applied the silicone gel, remove the sheet immediately and visit your doctor. Also, don't apply any medicated creams while you're using silicone gel sheets.[15]
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