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Profile of the paediatric burn patient in a Canadian burn centre
C A Ryan1, H A Shankowsky, E E Tredget
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta Hospitals, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
Insights
Pediatric burn patients, particularly young males and Native children, face high risks in home and recreational settings. Prevention programs should focus on scalds, flammable liquids, and identified high-risk environments and populations.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Burn Injury
- Epidemiology of Childhood Burns
- Public Health & Injury Prevention
Background:
- Pediatric burn admissions represent a significant portion of all burn inpatients.
- Understanding the unique characteristics of pediatric burns is crucial for targeted prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze demographic, etiological, and outcome variables for pediatric burn patients.
- To identify high-risk environments, populations, and practices associated with childhood burns.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 583 pediatric burn inpatients (0-18 years) admitted over an 11-year period.
- Examination of demographic data, burn causes, injury types, and mortality rates.
- Comparison of pediatric burn data with adult burn patients admitted during the same period.
Main Results:
- Children under 4 years accounted for 48.4% of burns; males predominated across all age groups.
- Pediatric patients had smaller burns, more scalds, fewer inhalation injuries, and lower mortality than adults.
- High-risk environments included homes (74.6%) and recreational settings (12.4%); Native children were disproportionately represented.
Conclusions:
- Paediatric burn prevention should emphasize scalds, home/recreational safety, and risks associated with flammable liquids.
- Targeted interventions for high-risk populations, including males and Native children, are essential.
- The study highlights the need for focused public health strategies to reduce childhood burn injuries.
Abstract:
Five hundred and eighty-three children (0-18 years old), consisting of 33.4 per cent of all burn inpatients, were admitted to the University of Alberta Hospitals over an 11-year period (January 1978 to December 1988). Demographic and outcome variables, in addition to aetiological factors, were examined. 48.4 per cent of burns occurred in children less than 4 years of age, with males predominating in every age group (P less than 0.001). Children had smaller burns, a higher incidence of scalds, less inhalation injuries and a lower mortality compared to adult burn patients admitted over the same time period (P less than 0.05). There was a low incidence of confirmed child abuse by burns (1.4 per cent). High-risk environments identified were the home (74.6 per cent of burns) and recreational settings (12.4 per cent of burns), mainly occurring around campfires. Native children were overrepresented in the burn population compared to the general population by a factor of approximately 10:1. Scald prevention, high-risk environments (home and recreational), high-risk populations (male and natives) and unsafe practices with flammable liquids (petrol in particular) should be emphasized in paediatric burn prevention programmes.