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Affiliation
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Pegg Leditschke Children's Burns Centre, Department of Paediatric Surgery, Children's Health Queensland, Queensland, Australia; Centre for Children's Burns and Trauma Research, Queensland Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: cmcbride@paedsurgery.com. |
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Abstract
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AIM: To characterise children presenting with hot beverage scalds versus scalds caused by starchy water.
METHODS: Retrospective survey of prospectively collected database of all children presenting over a two-year period.
RESULTS: There were 138 starch scalds and 262 hot beverage injuries. Children with hot beverage injuries were significantly younger (18.2 months; IQR 14.1, 27.8) than those suffering starch scald injuries (51.4 months; 18.7, 102.3; p<0.001). Perineal burns were more common in the starch group than the hot beverage scald group (10.9% vs. 2.4%, p<0.001). Chest/breast and abdominal burns were more common in the hot beverage group than the starch group (60.7% vs. 36.9%, p<0.001). Children under three years of age in both groups are significantly less likely to receive adequate first aid at the scene (p<0.001). There are no differences in the need for skin grafting or scar management when comparing hot beverage scalds and scalds caused by starchy liquids.
CONCLUSIONS: Scald injuries caused by starchy liquids do not appear to cause a more severe injury than hot beverage scalds. There is a different pattern of injury from starchy liquids in older children. Children under three years old are less likely to receive appropriate first aid at the scene.
Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Language: en |