Burn injuries in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
R S Mangus1, D Bergman, M Zieger
1Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Indiana University, Emerson Hall, 545 Barnhill Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
Purpose:
Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at increased risk for traumatic injury than non-ADHD-children. Burn injuries in ADHD-children have not been studied. This study was conducted to determine differences in burn injuries between these groups.
Methods:
The charts of all children ages 5-18, admitted over a 7-year period to a single regional pediatric burn center, were reviewed. ADHD-children were compared to non-ADHD-children regarding age and gender, type and extent of burn, and burn injury outcome.
Findings:
There were 278 children included, 35 (13%) having ADHD. ADHD-children were more likely male but did not differ in age compared to non-ADHD-children. ADHD-children were more likely to experience a thermal rather than flame burn (83% versus 58% thermal, P < 0.01) and had more extensive burn injury (10% versus 5% median TBSA, P = 0.03). The ADHD group had a longer length of stay (11 versus 7 days, P = 0.05) and was less likely to be discharged to home (86% versus 93%, P = 0.17).
Conclusions:
ADHD-children do differ from non-ADHD-children in their pattern and extent of burn injury. The impulsivity and vigilance deficits that characterize ADHD may place these children at higher risk for specific types of burn injuries.
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