Burn Injuries Requiring Hospitalization for Infants Younger Than 1 Year

Abstract

To investigate burn injuries requiring hospitalization sustained during the first year of life, clinical data collected during hospital treatment of infants younger than 1 year were reviewed. The principal aim was to chart the etiology and mechanism of burn injuries in this group to focus on the necessary preventive measures. The authors also review literature focusing especially on children younger than 1 year. Patients identified in the electronic database were referred to the Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland, from January 2005 to December 2009. Specific inclusion criteria yielded a cohort of 20 patient records, which accounted for 3% of the 692 admissions due to pediatric burn injury during the 5-year study period. The male to female ratio was 1:1.5 and the mean age was 6.3 months. Most burns were sustained at home during domestic tasks and were most often witnessed. The etiology in the majority of the cases was scalding (85%), while contact burns accounted for the remaining. The final TBSA ranged from 0.5 to 40% (mean 8.5%). In 13 cases (65%), the initial TBSA was overestimated. Overall, it was concluded that burn injuries in this age group are most often witnessed and take place while the infant is being held at the same time as the hot item. Parental education on typical situations in which burn injuries happen in preambulatory infants may help reduce the number of burn injuries.

Incidence and risk factors of burn injuries among infants, Finland 1990–2010

“…Yet, in the current study, in the youngest age group, less than 6 months, the incidence of burn injuries was higher in girls. Our previous work on inhospital-treated burn victims aged less than 1 year from a single center revealed that girls outnumbered boys by 1.5 to 1 [1], and in the present report we confirmed that this phenomenon is national and characteristic of Finland. Burn injuries in this age cohort take place while the infant is held in the arms of a caregiver who at the same time is holding a hot item, such as cup of tea or coffee [1,2].…”

Epidemiology of infant burn in Eastern Saudi Arabia

“… 3 , 4 Limited data is available on infant burns, worldwide. 5 There is a scarcity of published data on infant burns from Saudi Arabia. The aim of this study is to identify the epidemiology, pattern, outcome, and impact of infant burns in eastern Saudi Arabia.…”

The long-term health-related quality of life in children treated for burns as infants 5–9 years earlier

“…Cognizant mobilization develops literally step-by-step; first by creeping and crawling, later aspiring to an upright position by standing, and finally walking. Children's natural curiosity and urge to explore their environment sets them at risk for injuries in general, and burns in particular [18,24,25,35]. The proportion of burn patients less than 1 year of age, is 18% of all the burn victims at the Children's Hospital in Helsinki, and on a national scale the number of burned children aged less than 1 year has increased during recent years [24,25].…”

“…Children's natural curiosity and urge to explore their environment sets them at risk for injuries in general, and burns in particular [18,24,25,35]. The proportion of burn patients less than 1 year of age, is 18% of all the burn victims at the Children's Hospital in Helsinki, and on a national scale the number of burned children aged less than 1 year has increased during recent years [24,25]. The American Burn Association database, which presents the 10-year cumulative experience from several burn centers, shows that the number of burns in children under 1 year seen at hospitals has increased.…”

“…Altogether, 126 consecutive patients met the inclusion criteria. Detailed demographic data of these 126 patients have been reported in two previous articles [24,25]. Table 1 illustrates the demographic and injury related data of these children.…”