Burn Injuries Common, But Preventable in Young Children

Children ages 5 and younger sustain the majority of the 120,000 child and adolescent burn injuries requiring emergency room care and treatment each year. In the study, “Pediatric Burn Injuries Treated in Emergency Departments in the U.S. Between 1990 and 2006,” researchers reviewed National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) data. Thermal burns caused by heat and fire accounted for nearly 60 percent of all child injuries, and occurred primarily on the hands, fingers and other extremities, most often due to kitchen-related items (including appliances). Researchers recommend better education, warnings and consumer instructions to prevent child burn-related injuries.