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A review of campfire burns in children: The QLD experience
O Okon1, L Zhu1, R M Kimble2
1Centre for Children's Burns and Trauma Research, Centre for Children's Health Research, University of Queensland, Australia.
Insights
Campfire burns in children are preventable. Many injuries occur from improperly extinguished fires, highlighting the need for continued public awareness campaigns to reduce pediatric burn incidents.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Burn Injuries
- Public Health
- Injury Prevention
Background:
- Campfire burns represent a significant health concern for children.
- Understanding the epidemiology of these injuries is crucial for developing effective prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the extent of campfire burn injuries in children.
- To discuss strategies for future prevention campaigns.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of the Queensland Paediatric Burns Registry (2013-2014).
- Data collected included demographics, injury mechanism, first aid, burn severity (TBSA, depth), and treatment.
- Analysis focused on children presenting with campfire burns.
Main Results:
- Seventy-five children were treated for campfire burns.
- The most common injuries were contact burns (89%) from hot coals/ashes, often from fires extinguished overnight.
- Hands and feet were most frequently affected; 13% required skin grafting. Burn incidence increased during school holidays.
Conclusions:
- Campfire burns in children are largely preventable.
- A significant number of injuries result from improperly extinguished campfires.
- Ongoing public awareness campaigns are essential for reducing pediatric campfire burn incidence.
Introduction:
Campfire burns in children are a significant health issue. It is imperative that the extent of the problem is examined and strategies discussed to inform future prevention campaigns.
Method:
A retrospective review of data from the Queensland Paediatric Burns Registry for all children presenting with campfire burns between January 2013 and December 2014 (inclusive). Information collected included patient demographics, detail regarding mechanism of injury, first aid, Total Body Surface Area (TBSA), burn depth, and treatment.
Results:
Seventy-five children with campfire burns were seen in our paediatric burns centre during this 2-year period. The median age of patients was 3 years (range 10 days-14 years). The hands and feet were the areas most commonly affected. Eleven percent of patients suffered flame burns, whilst 89% suffered contact burns from the hot coals or ashes. Of the latter group, approximately half experienced burns from campfires that had been extinguished for at least one night. Thirteen percent of patients underwent split thickness skin grafting. The incidence of burns was increased during school holiday months.
Discussion:
We have previously demonstrated the effectiveness of targeted campaigns in reducing the incidence of campfire burns. A significant portion of patients sustained burns from incorrectly extinguished campfires. These injuries are likely to be preventable with ongoing public awareness campaigns.
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