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Contact burns in children
1Burns Unit, Birmingham Accident Hospital, UK.
Insights
Contact burns in young children are uncommon but serious, often caused by hot electric irons. Management focuses on preventing scarring and disability, with attention to potential non-accidental injuries.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric burn injuries
- Epidemiology of childhood burns
- Accident prevention in children
Background:
- Contact burns represent a small but significant proportion of thermal injuries in children under 5.
- Burns in this age group frequently affect the hands and face.
- The study period was 1981-1988 at the Birmingham Accident Hospital.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the incidence and characteristics of contact burns in children under 5 years.
- To identify common causes and affected body parts.
- To discuss management strategies and prevention of future incidents.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 47 children under 5 years admitted for contact burns.
- Analysis of burn causes, affected areas, and patient demographics.
- Review of management approaches and outcomes.
Main Results:
- Contact burns accounted for 3.93% of thermal injuries in the study population.
- Children aged 1-2 years were most commonly affected.
- Hot electric irons were the most frequent cause of burns, with hands and face being the most frequently burned areas.
Conclusions:
- Contact burns in young children, though infrequent, require careful management due to potential for scarring and disability.
- Hot electric irons pose a significant burn risk, highlighting the need for targeted prevention strategies.
- Healthcare providers should remain vigilant for signs of non-accidental injury in pediatric burn cases.
Abstract:
Forty-seven children under the age of 5 years admitted for contact burns into the Burns Unit of the Birmingham Accident Hospital during the period 1981-88 were reviewed. Contact burns formed only 3.93 per cent of all the thermal injuries seen in this age group for the same period. Most of the children were between 1 and 2 years of age and the hands and face were more frequently burned. The hot electric iron was the commonest cause of burns in the study. Although the sizes of the burns were generally small, the potential scarring and disability were recognized and this influenced the management. The prevention of contact burns from hot electric irons has been discussed and the need to look out for non-accidental injuries emphasized.