Profile of children abused by burning

In an analysis of paediatric burn admissions to a hospital in India during the years 1992-2007, 9.3% of burn injuries were found to be secondary to abuse. These had valid documented evidence and child neglect was excluded. This incidence of child abuse has been on the rise in the last seven years and was more evident due to careful investigation by a team comprising a plastic surgeon, a paediatrician, a legal expert, a psychologist, and a social worker. As with the incidence reported by many other researchers, most of the injuries were caused by scalding.