Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 7, 2026

A Swine Burn Model for Investigating the Healing Process in Multiple Depth Burn Wounds
02:49

A Swine Burn Model for Investigating the Healing Process in Multiple Depth Burn Wounds

Published on: February 23, 2024

Burns and scalds in pre-school children attending accident and emergency: accident or abuse?

J R Benger1, S E McCabe

  • 1Department of Paediatrics, Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, UK. JB@sectae.org.uk

Emergency Medicine Journal : EMJ
|May 17, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Documentation of potential non-accidental injury (NAI) in children with burns was poor. A combined education and checklist intervention significantly improved NAI awareness and documentation in emergency departments.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Emergency Medicine
  • Child Protection

Background:

  • Assessing pre-school children with burns and scalds in emergency departments requires careful consideration of non-accidental injury (NAI).
  • Previous documentation and consideration of NAI in such cases were often inadequate.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the frequency and adequacy of NAI documentation for children with burns/scalds in emergency departments.
  • To determine the impact of a routine reminder mechanism and enhanced NAI education on clinical practice.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective audit of 100 pre-school children's records with burns/scalds was conducted.
  • Following policy changes (education, reminder checklist), a re-audit of the next 100 cases was performed.
  • Data were compared against nine pre-determined standards for NAI assessment.

Main Results:

  • The reminder checklist was used in 60% of the second group, with 97% completion.
  • Significant improvements were observed in recording injury details, history consistency, NAI consideration, child's general state, and other injuries.
  • Referral rates for NAI assessment increased from 0% to 3%.

Conclusions:

  • Initial NAI awareness and documentation were suboptimal.
  • The intervention strategy, combining education and a reminder checklist, effectively enhanced NAI awareness and documentation.
  • This approach shows potential for improving the identification of child abuse across all pediatric age groups and injury types.
Abstract

More Related Videos

A Standardized Procedure of Dressing Management for Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis07:22

A Standardized Procedure of Dressing Management for Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis

Published on: March 14, 2025

Severe Burn Injury in a Swine Model for Clinical Dressing Assessment07:45

Severe Burn Injury in a Swine Model for Clinical Dressing Assessment

Published on: November 6, 2018

Related Concept Videos

Burn Injuries01:22

Burn Injuries

Burn injuries occur when the skin and underlying tissues are damaged due to exposure to heat, electricity, chemicals, radiation, or friction. They can vary in severity, from minor superficial burns to severe deep burns that can be life-threatening.
The damage results in the death of skin cells, which can lead to a massive loss of fluid. Dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and renal and circulatory failure follow, which can be fatal. Burn patients are treated with intravenous fluids to offset...
Decreased Body Temperature01:29

Decreased Body Temperature

A decreased body temperature can occur in patients with hypothermia and frostbite. Heat loss with extended cold exposure overpowers the body's ability to create heat, resulting in hypothermia. Core temperature readings help classify hypothermia. Mild hypothermia is temperatures between 32 °C (89.6 °F) and 35°C (95 °F) and is caused by impaired thermoregulation. Moderate hypothermia is temperatures between 28 C (82.4 °F) and 32 °C (89.6 °F) caused by sustained extreme cold exposure, and severe...
Methods of reducing fever01:22

Methods of reducing fever

The signs and symptoms of fever include hot and dry skin, flushed face, thirst, muscle aches, anorexia, headache, tachycardia, tachypnea, and fatigue. Elevated body temperature is reduced using two methods: pharmacological and nonpharmacological. Proper identification and treatment of the root cause of a fever is of utmost importance.
Pharmacological Methods of Reducing Fever:
Prevention of Further Absorption of Poison01:14

Prevention of Further Absorption of Poison

In cases of acute poisoning, the primary objective is to prevent further absorption of the toxic substance into the body. Immediate interventions using various decontamination techniques targeting the gastrointestinal (GI) tract can achieve this. Decontamination is crucial to prevent poison from entering the systemic circulation, which involves washing affected areas with water and mild soap and removing contaminated clothing. Once external decontamination is done, attention must be turned to...
Specialized Care Centers and Settings-II01:30

Specialized Care Centers and Settings-II

Rural Health Centers
Rural health centers are specialized care facilities in remote locations with very few medical personnel. The primary care providers who run the centers are mostly Registered Nurse Practitioners. Here, emergency treatment is provided to critically ill or injured patients before they are transferred to the closest hospital. Fortunately, due to advancement in technology, many rural healthcare facilities and professionals have easy access to diagnostic and treatment...
Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Potential Scenarios01:26

Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Potential Scenarios

Pharmaceutical poisoning can occur through various channels, impacting an estimated 2 million hospitalized patients in the U.S. annually with serious adverse drug responses. These scenarios encompass both therapeutic uses, such as drug toxicity, where even standard dosages can lead to severe central nervous system depression, and non-therapeutic exposures, including accidental ingestion by children, and environmental and occupational exposures.Unintentional poisonings often involve exploratory...