[A descriptive study of burn injuries in children and adolescents]

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the frequency of different kinds of burns, associated factors, major complications and their relations to other variables. METHODS: Descriptive study performed at Hospital João XXIII from January to December of 1992 with five hundred and thirtyseven children and adolescents. RESULTS: The age distribution was as follows: 408 patients were children (76%) and 129 were teenagers (24%). Most of the accidents, 398 cases (74%) happened at home, 235 of which (59%) in the kitchen. 80 patients were interned. They had the highest relative frequency of accidents outside home (p<0.05). Of these interned patients, 7 (9.0%) developed septicemia. The flame was the predominant agent within the group of inpatients (p<0.01) and was responsible for the highest extension of burning (p<0.05). Teenagers had the largest body burned surface compared to children (p<0.01). Local treatment with pomade or home made medicine was observed in 290 cases (54%); local wash with water only in 32 (6.0%). Dehydration was the most frequent complication and occurred in 28 (5,0%) patients. The average amount of internment was 30-/+33 days. CONCLUSIONS: Most of burning were consequence of domestic accidents, especially in youngers than 7 years old; hot liquids are the most frequent agents and kitchen the most frequent place. Flame, which determined the largest and deepest lesions, was the first cause of burns in teenagers and the second in children. Dehydration is the most frequent complication in the earlier phases and septicemia in the others.