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Published on: February 23, 2024
Chemical burns in children: Aetiology and prevention
Rachel D'Cruz1, Tony C Y Pang2, John G Harvey3
1The Children's Hospital Burns Research Institute, Burns Unit, and New South Wales Statewide Burn Injury Service, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, NSW, Australia; Douglas Cohen Department of Paediatric Surgery, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Insights
Chemical burns in children are infrequent but preventable, often occurring domestically. Younger children suffer accidental household chemical burns, while older children experience self-harm burns.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Burn Care
- Chemical Injury Prevention
- Child Safety
Background:
- Chemical burns represent a small but significant portion of pediatric burn injuries.
- These injuries necessitate specialized first aid and targeted prevention strategies.
- Understanding the epidemiology of chemical burns in children is crucial for public health initiatives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the incidence, causes, and outcomes of chemical burns in children treated at a specialist center.
- To identify distinct patterns of chemical burns in different pediatric age groups.
- To inform prevention strategies by elucidating common exposure scenarios.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of pediatric patients (≤16 years) treated for chemical burns between 2006 and 2012.
- Data extracted from a prospectively maintained database at a specialist pediatric burn center.
- Statistical analysis to identify age-related trends and common etiologies.
Main Results:
- 56 chemical burn episodes were recorded, predominantly in boys (54%) and younger children (<10 years, 72%).
- Domestic settings accounted for 82% of burns, with accidental exposure in unattended children (<10 years) and self-harm (≥10 years) being primary causes.
- Household cleaners and aerosols were the most common agents; 16% required skin grafting, and only 45% received adequate first aid.
Conclusions:
- Chemical burns in children are infrequent but preventable, with distinct causes based on age.
- Accidental domestic chemical exposure is common in younger children, while self-harm is prevalent in older children.
- Implementing child-resistant packaging and enhancing parental education can reduce the incidence of pediatric chemical burns.
Background:
Chemical burns account for a small proportion of total burns in children, but may require specific first aid and different modes of prevention.
Methods:
A retrospective study between 2006 and 2012 of children ≤16 years treated with chemical burns at a specialist paediatric burn centre. Data were extracted from a prospectively maintained database.
Results:
56 episodes of chemical burns occurred during the study period. The majority (54%) occurred in boys. There were 39 (72%) patients <10 years and 17 (39%) ≥10 years. Median total body surface area burnt was 1% with nine (16%) patients requiring skin grafting. Only 24 (45%) had adequate first aid. The majority (n=46, 82%) of chemical burns occurred in the domestic setting, especially in the <10 years age group (P=0.052). Non-intentional exposure of chemicals by an unattended child accounted for half of all (n=22, 49%) chemical burns <10 years of age. Eight (47%) burns in patients ≥10 years resulted from self-harm. The most common aetiological agents were household cleaners and aerosols in the younger and older age groups respectively.
Conclusion:
Chemical burns remain infrequent but potentially preventable. These burns mainly occur in the domestic setting due to non-intentional exposure of household chemicals in children <10, and due to deliberate self-harm in children ≥10. The use of child-resistant packaging, similar to that used for medications, and improved parental practices could help decrease the incidence of burns in children <10.
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