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Patterns of burns and scalds in Mongolian children: a hospital-based prospective study
Gunsmaa Gerelmaa1, Badarch Tumen-Ulzii2, Shinji Nakahara3
1Doctoral Program in Human Care Science, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
Insights
Mongolian children, especially toddlers, frequently suffer severe burn injuries from hot liquids, primarily from electric pots used in traditional homes. Reconsidering floor-level cooking practices is crucial for child burn prevention.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Injury Prevention
Background:
- Burn injuries represent a significant public health concern among children globally.
- Understanding the specific circumstances and products involved in pediatric burns is essential for targeted prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the epidemiology of burn injuries in children aged 15 years and younger in Mongolia.
- To identify the common products and environmental factors contributing to these injuries.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective analysis of 906 pediatric burn patients admitted to the National Trauma Orthopedic Research Center from August 2015 to July 2016.
- Data collected included patient demographics, burn aetiology, and clinical features, analyzed using the NOMESCO Classification model.
Main Results:
- The majority of burn injuries (83%) occurred in children aged 0-3 years.
- Most injuries happened in cooking areas (66% in traditional dwellings or houses without dedicated kitchens, 28% in kitchens), predominantly from scalding by hot liquids (93%).
- Electric pots were the leading cause of burns (41%), particularly major burns (83%), with children often falling into them.
Conclusions:
- Electric pots used in floor-level cooking areas are a primary cause of severe burn injuries in young Mongolian children.
- Modifying current cooking practices, especially in traditional dwellings, is vital for effective child burn prevention.
Objective:
To describe the circumstances of burn injury occurrence among Mongolian children and the products involved.
Methods:
Study participants were children aged 15 years and younger who were admitted to the Burn Unit of the National Trauma Orthopedic Research Center from August 2015 to July 2016. We collected data on participant demographics and the aetiology and clinical features of their burn injuries, and we analysed the data based on the NOMESCO Classification model.
Findings:
Of 906 children, 83% were aged 0-3 years, 66% were injured around the cooking area in the traditional tent-like dwelling called a ger or a detached house where no specified kitchen exists, and 28% were injured in a kitchen. Burn injuries resulted mostly from exposure to overflowing hot liquids (93%). Electric pots and electric kettles were the products most frequently involved in causing burn injuries (41% and 14%, respectively). Of 601 major burn injuries, 52% were due to electric pots. Moreover, burn injuries inflicted by electric pots were most likely to be major burn injuries (83%). Children typically fell into electric pots, while electric kettles were often pulled down by children.
Conclusion:
Burn injuries among Mongolian children mainly occurred in cooking area of a ger involving electric pots. The current practice of cooking on the floor should be reconsidered for child burn prevention.
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