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A Rafik1, M Lahlou1, M Diouri1
1Centre National des Brûlés et de Chirurgie Plastique, CHU Ibn Rochd, Casablanca, Morocco.
Insights
Pediatric hand burns are common, with scalds being the most frequent cause. Early education and awareness are crucial to prevent these debilitating childhood injuries and ensure full hand function.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric surgery
- Burn management
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Hand burns in children can result in severe, long-term functional impairments.
- Restoring full hand function is the primary objective of pediatric burn treatment.
- Understanding burn characteristics in children is essential for effective prevention and care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the epidemiological, clinical, and developmental factors of pediatric hand burns.
- To identify common causes and characteristics of burns in children treated at a specialized unit.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study conducted over four years (January 2011 - January 2015).
- Evaluation of 313 pediatric patients treated for burns at the National Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit in Casablanca.
- Data collection included patient demographics, burn etiology, and burn depth.
Main Results:
- The majority of patients (70%) were between 3-6 years old, with a slight male predominance.
- Scalds were the leading cause of burns (62%), followed by flame burns (33%) and electrical burns (4.5%).
- Partial thickness burns, which typically heal spontaneously, were observed in 72% of patients.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric hand burns are a significant public health issue, predominantly caused by scalds in young children.
- Implementing burn prevention education within school curricula is recommended to reduce incidence.
- Targeted awareness campaigns can mitigate the risk of childhood burns and their associated sequelae.
Abstract:
Hand burns in children are common and may lead to debilitating sequelae. Therefore, full functional restoration of the hand is the goal of treatment. To assess the epidemiological, clinical and development aspects of the burns, we conducted a retrospective study over 4 years, from January 2011 to January 2015. It evaluated 313 children suffering from burns and treated at the National Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit of Ibn Richd Teaching Hospital in Casablanca. Most patients were aged 3-6 years (70%), with a slight male predominance. Scalds accounted for 62% of the causes of burns, flames 33% and electricity 4.5%. Chemical and contact-related burns were anecdotal (1 case of each). Seventy-two per cent of the patients had partial thickness burns, which healed spontaneously. Awareness of and education on these accidents should be part of the school curriculum in order to reduce the incidence of burns in childhood.