NREMT Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Cognitive ExamTraumaMedium
A 7-year-old child accidentally spilled hot coffee on his arm, resulting in a large blistered area covering his entire forearm. The skin is red and weeping. Based on the rule of nines for children, what percentage of his total body surface area (TBSA) is burned?
- A13.5%
- B4.5%
- C18%
- D9%
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. 9%
In the Rule of Nines for children, each arm accounts for 9% of the total body surface area. A blistered area indicates a partial-thickness (second-degree) burn, which needs to be calculated for TBSA.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. 13.5% would be an arm and half of another 9% segment, like a leg.
- B. 4.5% would be half an arm or a lower leg.
- C. 18% would be an entire leg or the entire back in a child.
Rule of Nines (Pediatric)
A method to estimate the total body surface area (TBSA) affected by burns in children, differing from adults due to proportional body size differences.
- Head and neck: 18%
- Each arm: 9%
- Each leg: 13.5%
- Anterior trunk: 18%
- Posterior trunk: 18%
Memory trick: Kid's Head is Big, Legs are Smaller!