Citation

Trotter Z, Foster K, Khetarpal S, Sinha M. J. Burn Care Res. 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Department of Pediatrics, Arizona Children's Center at Valleywise Health Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, American Burn Association, Publisher Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1093/jbcr/iraa064

PMID

32364606

Abstract

Accidental burns from outdoor recreational activities such as campfires, bonfires, ceremonial fires, and firepits, are not uncommon, however few studies describe the nature of such injuries in children. The objective of this study was to examine the age-based pattern of pediatric burn injuries from outdoor fires. Children and adolescents 0-18 years, admitted to the Burn Center between 2008 and 2018 with acute burn injuries from outdoor fires, were included in the current study. Demographic and clinical data were obtained from the burn injury database. Patients were categorized into three age groups: 0-5 years, 5-10 years, and 10-18 years. One hundred and sixty-seven children were included in the data analysis, mean age of the cohort was 6.4 (SD ± 4.9) years, and majority (66.5%) were males. Over half (52.1%) were less than 5 years of age, they commonly sustained hand burns and frequently required inpatient burn management. Burn severity varied between age groups, mean total burn surface area (TBSA) was significantly higher in adolescents (10.9%). Almost half the injuries (49.7%) resulted from a fall onto a campfire, bonfire, or a firepit. In this study we found age-specific variation in the mechanism and pattern of burn injuries. Children ≥5 years and adolescents were least common victims of burns due to outdoor fires but suffered from more serious injuries with significantly higher TBSA involvement, longer intensive care unit, and ventilator days. Raising awareness among parents, caregivers, and children about outdoor fire safety is important for prevention of such injuries.

© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Burn Association. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Language: en

Keywords

Burn; children; outdoor; recreational