Dr Lisa Martin¹, Professor Fiona Wood^1,2

¹University Of Western Australia, Nedlands, Australia, ²Burn Service of Western Australia, Murdoch, Australia

Abstract:

The Ben and Bella storybook for burn prevention and community education were originally developed by a 4th year science student in 2012. This popular book has been rewritten, re-illustrated and has been expanded to a series of three books that focus on the most common paediatric thermal burn types; scald, contact and flame.

The development process of the three books is presented. This process included the engagement of a curriculum expert, a children’s author, and an illustrator from regional Western Australia. The books are culturally inclusive, engaging, and align with the Western Australian school curriculum. Each book comes with a teacher’s guide that is packed with key information and discussion points for teachers, classroom activities for kindergarten, pre-primary, year 1 and year 2 students. The key message is about appropriate burn first aid with the message “20 to cool is the burn safe rule” repeated frequently throughout the books. Children are encouraged to be observant of burn risks in the environment as they search the pictures for the faces of “Burn Bandits” throughout the stories. They then become superheroes when they leap into action to promote the first aid message.

Biography:

Lisa has worked in burns research for over ten years. Her nursing background was in critical care, and research nursing in general medicine and cardiology. She has a PhD in psychological recovery after adult burn.  She has a strong and active interest in burn prevention.