A Retrospective Study of Hospitalized Pediatric Burns Patients for Abuse and Neglect

A retrospective study of 50 children who were admitted in burns center in a tertiary care hospital was carried out as a preliminary study to identify the prevalence and the factors of abuse. Record review and a questionnaire was used in order to collect relevant information about the children, and also type of abuse from 50 children who were age less than 18 years and were hospitalized. Of the 50 records reviewed, 25 (50 %) of them were below the age of 5 years. The main causes were hot water and milk scalds, flame and electricity. Results revealed that the presence of neglect leading to accident was highest among 30 (60 %) children and followed by accidental injury, 14 (28 %). In 84 % of the cases, injury occurred at home. Burn extent ranged between 1 and 94 % Total Body Surface Area Burns (TBSA). There were 10 deaths overall (20 %) and the mortality rate was 50 % among children aged 0-5 years and 50 % among children aged 10-18 years. The mean burn extents, in these two age groups, were respectively 24.88 % and 30.44 %. The results indicate that burns in children below 5 years are serious traumas and have higher mortality rates. Four percent of children were referred to clinical psychology for counselling.