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Age as a risk factor for burn injury requiring hospitalization during early childhood
1Division of Field Epidemiology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Ga.
Insights
Young children, especially those aged 6 months to 2 years, face a high risk of burn injuries requiring hospitalization. Prevention efforts should focus on this vulnerable age group to reduce scalds and contact burns.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Injury Prevention
Background:
- Burn injuries are a significant cause of hospitalization in early childhood.
- Understanding age-related variations in burn injury risk is crucial for effective prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how age influences the incidence and causes of burn injuries necessitating hospitalization in young children.
- To identify specific age groups at higher risk for severe burn injuries.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of hospital discharge data and burn unit admission logs in the Denver metropolitan area for children under 5 years old.
- Review of medical records for hospitalized burn injury cases during 1989-1990.
Main Results:
- An annual incidence of 40.5 hospitalizations per 100,000 children under 5 was recorded.
- Children aged 6 months to 2 years constituted 88% of cases, being seven times more likely to be hospitalized for burns.
- Scalding (64%) and contact with hot objects (20%) were the primary causes, predominantly affecting the 6-month to 2-year age group.
Conclusions:
- Developmental stage is a key factor in determining the risk and type of burn injury.
- Children aged 6 months to 2 years represent a high-risk group for severe burn injuries.
- Targeted prevention strategies are essential for this age demographic.
Objective:
To examine the variation by age in the rates and causes of burn injury requiring hospitalization during early childhood.
Design And Setting:
Hospital discharge data and a burn unit admission log were used to identify all children in the Denver (Colo) metropolitan area younger than 5 years who sustained burn injuries and were hospitalized in 1989 and 1990. Patients' medical records were reviewed.
Results:
One hundred twenty-two children were identified with burn injuries that required hospitalization, an annual incidence of 40.5 per 100,000 children younger than 5 years. Children aged 6 months through 2 years accounted for 88% of all cases and were seven times more likely to be hospitalized for a burn injury than were children outside this age range. Scalding and contact with hot objects accounted for 64% and 20% of cases, respectively, and occurred primarily in the 6-month through 2-year age group.
Conclusions:
The findings underscore the importance of developmental stage as a determinant of risk and type of burn injury. Children aged 6 months through 2 years are at increased risk of severe burn injury and should be targeted for prevention efforts.