Epidemiological Study about Childhood Burns in the Burn Unit of Ain Shams University Hospitals

Abstract

Background: Childhood burns in Egypt are a significantproblem, especially in families of low socioeconomic status.These families live in overcrowded areas, which lack properhygiene and tend to use kerosene stoves, which lack any safetymeasure.Objective: The purpose of this study is to determine theepidemiological characteristics of burn incidents in children toprovide fundamental knowledge for a preventative programmethat would shield younger children from burns and older childrenfrom the risks associated with burn injuries.Patients Methods, and Results: Over 28 months, 981burntyoungsters were presented to the Ain Shams University burnunit. Boys were harmed at a proportionately higher rate thangirls. The age range of 3 to 6 years was associated with anincrease in the incidence. Scalds made up 52.8% of the causeof burns, with fire accounting for 35.6% of cases. Electricaland chemical burns accounted for 5 and 6.6% of cases, respectively.Fifty patients suffered from occupational accidents,highlighting a significant issue with youngsters from lower socioeconomicclasses entering the workforce between the agesof 8 and 15. During the trial, 23 children (2.3%) passed awaybecause of burns.Conclusion: The epidemiological pattern of children’sburns in our area needs to serve as the foundation for a comprehensivemedia campaign aimed at regulating and enhancingthe safety of home items. The most significant finding of thisstudy is that the percentage of childhood burns was rising. Thiscannot be solely attributed to seasonal variations and publicawareness; rather, it is a sign of the risks to the pediatric populationassociated with low socioeconomic status, which forcesboth parents to work and leave the kids unsupervised for extendedperiods of time.