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Outpatient treated burns in infants younger than 1 year in Helsinki during 2005-2009
Elina Laitakari1, Virve Koljonen2, Sari Pyörälä1
1Department of Pediatric Surgery, Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
Insights
Infants under one year old are susceptible to burns, primarily scalds and contact burns from common household items. Increased caregiver vigilance is crucial for preventing these preventable injuries in young children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric burn injuries
- Infant safety and prevention
- Public health epidemiology
Background:
- Limited data exists on burn injuries specifically in infants under one year old.
- Burns are a significant concern in pediatric populations.
- Understanding infant burn characteristics is vital for targeted prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the specific features and causes of burn injuries in infants less than one year of age.
- To analyze epidemiological data of outpatient-treated burn patients in this age group.
- To identify key risk factors for infant burns.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study of outpatient-treated burn patients under one year old.
- Data collected from January 2005 to December 2009 at a children's hospital.
- Analysis of injury type, cause, age, and circumstances of burn incidents.
Main Results:
- 106 infants under one year old were treated for burns, comprising 15% of all pediatric burns.
- Most affected infants were males aged 9-12 months.
- Scalds (hot liquids) and contact burns (hot surfaces) were the most common types, often occurring at home with a caregiver present.
Conclusions:
- Burns in infants under one year old present unique characteristics requiring focused prevention efforts.
- Common household hazards like hot drinks and stoves are primary causes.
- Enhanced caregiver vigilance and targeted safety measures are essential to reduce the incidence of these preventable injuries.
Abstract:
In general, voluminous data exists concerning burns in children, but the data focusing specially on children less than 1 year of age is sporadic. We therefore focused on examining the special features of burns in children less than 1 year of age. A retrospective study of all outpatient treated burn patients <1 year old at the Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Helsinki, Finland, from January 2005 to December 2009 was performed. During the 5-year period we identified 106 outpatient treated infants with burns, representing 15% of all pediatric burns during the study period. The majority was male and aged 9-12 months. Most of the burns occurred at home, and in most cases a caregiver was present in the injury room. Scalds were the most common type of injury followed by contact burns. The most common source of scald was from cups containing hot drink, and the most common source of contact burn was hot stoves or oven doors. Special attention needs to be targeted toward the prevention of burns in children less than 1 year of age. The majority of the injuries could have been prevented with more vigilance.
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