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Unusual inflicted hot oil burns in a 7-year-old
Syana Mukadam1, Elizabeth E Gilles
1University of Minnesota School of Medicine, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
Insights
This case study highlights unusual inflicted burn patterns in children, specifically combined contact and scald injuries. It emphasizes the importance of recognizing atypical presentations to identify child abuse.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Medicine
- Pediatric Pathology
- Child Abuse Research
Background:
- Pediatric burn injuries can be indicators of child abuse, with scald burns being most common.
- Contact or combined contact/scald burns present diagnostic challenges in identifying inflicted injuries.
- Early diagnosis is crucial for intervention and protection of child victims.
Observation:
- A child presented with unusual healed burns from a heated metal spatula and hot oil.
- The burn pattern initially suggested healing injuries but had features indicative of abuse.
- Additional signs of adult inflicted bites and bruises were present.
Findings:
- Clearly delineated margins, macular lesions with hyper-pigmented rims, and variegated central regions supported an inflicted etiology.
- The combined contact and scald burn presentation was atypical for the child's demographics.
- This case expands the spectrum of recognized inflicted contact/scald burn presentations.
Implications:
- Recognizing atypical burn patterns is vital for forensic investigations and child protection.
- Healthcare providers should consider inflicted burns in unusual presentations, even without immediate disclosure.
- This case underscores the need for comprehensive evaluation in suspected child abuse cases involving burns.
Abstract:
Pediatric burn injuries occur not infrequently as the result of abuse. While the majority of these burns are inflicted scald burns, those due to contact or contact/scald mechanisms may present diagnostic challenges. A child with unusual combined contact and scald burns caused by a metal spatula heated in hot cooking oil is described. The odd pattern of healed injury limited the initial diagnosis to inflicted healing burns. Despite the initial lack of disclosure, an inflicted etiology was supported by clearly delineated margins, macular lesions with hyper-pigmented rims and variegated central regions. Additional findings of numerous adult bites and bruises provided adjunctive support for an inflicted etiology. Aspects of this case are atypical for the usual demographics of a burn victim. This case extends the known presentations of inflicted contact/scald burns.