Is there an increased risk of burns to Amish children?

The purpose of this study was to examine the incidence, causes, and demographics of burn injuries in Amish children, treated at a pediatric burn center located in close proximity to the Midwestern Amish country. After Institutional Review Board approval, we used our TRACS Burn Registry to identify burn injuries in Amish and non-Amish children. We then compared the groups formed by gender and culture. We identified 37 Amish children (1.25%) among the 2972 acute burn patients admitted over the 12-year period of review. Importantly, Amish girls sustained significantly more extensive and deeper burns than Amish boys or non-Amish children of either gender (P < .05). Ventilator days were also greater for Amish girls than for the non-Amish groups (P < .05). A greater length of hospital stay for the Amish girls was likely because of their significantly larger burn size. There were also overall significant differences in burn causes among Amish and non-Amish children (P = .002). Amish patients had a higher incidence of burns, by hot liquids not related to cooking, ignition of clothing, or ignition of flammable materials, than non-Amish children. Of note, Amish girls had a relatively shorter delay in admission to our burn center than did Amish boys and non-Amish children. Burn injuries to Amish children requiring inpatient treatment seem to be quite uncommon. When they do occur, burns in Amish children tend to be more extensive than similar injuries in non-Amish children. The data suggest that there may be significant and specific educational opportunities for burn prevention in Amish children in our burn center's referral area.