Fluids and burns
Burns fluid resuscitation (Parkland)
First 24 hours of resuscitation fluid for major burns, with maintenance added for children.
For education. Check against your unit's guidance and a second clinician before use.
kg
Partial- and full-thickness burns only. Use the burns area calculator to work it out.
% of body surface
Fill in the boxes above to see the result.
Before you use this
- The formula is a starting point. Adjust to urine output: aim for about 1 mL/kg/hour in children (0.5 mL/kg/hour in adults), and avoid over-resuscitation.
- UK burns services usually start formal resuscitation at 10% or more of body surface in children (15% in adults). Discuss with your regional burns service.
- Around the world: some services use a modified formula (for example 3 mL/kg/% in children). Follow your burns network's protocol.
How this is calculated
- Resuscitation fluid over 24 hours (mL) = 4 × weight (kg) × burn area (%)
- Half is given in the first 8 hours, timed from when the burn happened (not from arrival), and half over the next 16 hours.
- Children also get maintenance fluid (Holliday–Segar) on top.
Sources
- Baxter CR, Shires T. Physiological response to crystalloid resuscitation of severe burns. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1968;150:874–94.
- Your regional burns network guidance (UK) or national burns association protocol.
Checked by PICUlearn, 21 Sept 2026.