1 in 3 UAE burn victims younger than 5

Nearly a third of the patients suffering from burn injuries are under the age of 5, said Mafraq Hospital in Abu Dhabi.

The Burns Unit of the hospital recorded 144 patients in 2013, and of them 30 per cent were children below the age of five, it said. 

Young patients especially suffered from injuries caused by burns.

“In 2013, while 50 per cent of burn injuries were caused by fire, 40 per cent of burn injuries recorded at Mafraq Hospital were caused by liquid burns (scalds) and nearly 80 per cent of the scald victims were children. It is not just fire or hot objects like a stove or iron that children need to be kept away from. Hot liquids are just as dangerous,” commented Bunna Eng-Tusitala, Unit Manager of the Burn Unit.

Indeed, all over the world children are likely culprits of scald injuries. Children are playful, curious and do not understand that certain liquids can be very hot. Moreover, young children have sensitive skin and that burns faster than the skin of an adult.

Common hot liquids that cause scald injuries are hot water or steam, especially in the bathroom, hot oil or boiling water in the kitchen or hot drinks like tea or coffee.

What is striking is that in many cases the parent or caregiver is not familiar with the proper first aid response, concluded the hospital. According to a survey conducted, nine out of 10 patients or parents of children being treated did not know how to apply adequate initial first-aid to burn injuries.

First aid response

In the event of burn injury, there are three important steps to take for parents, bystanders or anyone who has received a burn injury, advised the hospital. Firstly, stop the burning source. Secondly, cool the burn by holding the burned area under cool running water for 20 minutes. Finally, remain calm and immediately call for medical attention, if necessary.

Cooling the burn with mediate temperature water is crucial, said Marwan Ahmad al Zarouni, Consultant Plastic Surgeon at Rashid Hospital in an earlier interview with Emirates24|7.

No matter how severe the burn is, these minutes are crucial, it will release the pain, stop the expansion of the burn wound, cool down the area and the skin will recover faster once it is treated, he explained.

 The follow-up action depends on the severity of the wound, he elaborated. In case of a first-degree burn, this treatment should be enough. A patient might want to go to a general practitioner, who will clean and dress the wound. Some cream can be applied.

However, if the burn is more serious, a hospital visit is required. When blisters appear on the surface there is a case of a second-degree burn. A third degree burn can be recognized by discolouration, while there is no vascularity and no sensation.

Prevention

Of course prevention is better than cure. In case of young children, there are some steps that the parents can take to prevent a child from scald injuries.

When bathing a child, the recommended maximum temperature should be between 37 °C and 38 °C.  The parent or caregiver should always be at arm’s length of the child, and the bathroom door could be locked when not in use to prevent curious baby steps towards the hot water tap.

In the kitchen, small adjustments can contribute to a safer environment for a child. On the stove, the back pits can be used instead of the front pits. The handle of pots and pans can be directed towards the back of the stove, out of reach of the child.

It is best not to walk around with hot items, like pots, pans, kettles or hot drinks. Hot drinks are best to be placed on the middle of the table, out of reach of the child. And the child should be supervised at all times when hot kitchen ware or drinks are going around.

[Image via Shutterstock]

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