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Upper respiratory tract infections and scald burns: Risks and insights on home remedies
Rakib H Sheikh1, Chloe Vella2, Rachel D'Cruz3
1Department of Paediatric Surgery, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, New South Wales, Australia; The Burns Unit, The Children's Hospital at Westmead and The Children's Hospital Burns Research Institute, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, New South Wales, Australia; Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Australia.
Background:
Home remedies such as steam inhalation are often considered a means to alleviate symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs). While little evidence supports this practice, steam inhalation remains popular despite posing a risk of burn injury, especially amongst children. A retrospective review was conducted of paediatric patients referred for the treatment of burn injuries caused by such home remedies at The Children's Hospital at Westmead, New South Wales (NSW), Australia, between 2010 and 2024.
Methods:
Data from the NSW Statewide Burns Injury Service and a review of patient medical records were collected and analysed. This included information on the patient population, burn injuries, and treatment.
Results:
A total of 308 patients were identified with burns caused by using steam inhalation for treating URTIs. Burns were sustained either through the spilling of boiling/hot water used for inhalation (traditional way of steam inhalation) or through a steam vapouriser. A spike was seen in the cases referred in 2022, coinciding with the period of the COVID-19 outbreak in NSW. 23.1% of the cohort underwent surgical grafting, 16.9% required a hospital stay, and 18.8% developed hypertrophic scarring. Males accounted for 59.4% of the cohort.
Conclusions:
Most patients in this study were children aged 0-5 years, highlighting the need for targeted prevention through improved education and stronger, more obvious and clearer warnings on steam inhalation, along with vigilant supervision to reduce these preventable injuries. It is also possible changes could be made in the information given to all parents of a newborn baby in the "Blue Book" in NSW, with mention of this specific mechanism of injury. The upper limbs, particularly the hands, were the most affected area. Seasonal trends indicated a higher number of referrals during autumn and winter, likely due to an increase in cold and flu symptoms during these colder months, which may lead to more frequent use of home remedies.
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