Complex Burn Reconstruction

4 Month Old With Scalp Burns

4 month old girl who experienced severe burns on her scalp after baby sitter’s daughter poured hot soup on her. The family trusted the baby sitter and allowed the sitter’s 3yo daughter to visit. It’s thought that jealousy motivated the act.

Pediatric Scalp Burns

Burn Information

All text and photos below are from The American Burn Association Scald Injury Prevention Educator’s Guide

Selected Burn and Scald Injury Statistics for Children

Total burns

In 2003, an estimated 83,300 children ages 14 and under were treated in hospital emergency rooms for burn-related injuries. • 15,000 children are hospitalized annually with burn injuries.
1,100 children die each year from fire and burns.

Scald burns

Approximately 21,000 children were treated for scald burns.
Among children ages 4 and under hospitalized for burn-related injuries, an estimated 65% are treated for scald burns.
The total annual cost of scald burn-related deaths and injuries among children ages 14 and under is $44 million. Children 4 and under account for more than 90 percent of these costs.

In the Cooking Area:

Establish a safe area, out of the traffic path between the stove and sink, where children can safely play but still be supervised.
Place young children in high chairs or playpens a safe distance from counter or stove tops, hot liquids, hot surfaces or other cooking hazards while preparing or serving food.
Child walkers are extremely dangerous and should never be allowed in kitchens or bathrooms.
Infants in child walkers have increased mobility and height and can more easily come in contact with dangling cords and pot handles.
Provide safe toys for children, not pots, pans and cooking utensils, to occupy a child’s attention. Young children are unable to distinguish between a “safe” or “play” pan that they perceive as a toy and one used for cooking, which they may reach for on the stove.
Cook on back burners when young children are present.
Keep all pot handles turned back, away from the stove edge. All appliance cords need to be kept coiled and away from counter edges. Curious children may reach up and grab handles or cords. Cords may also become caught in cabinet doors causing hot food
and liquids to spill onto you or others. The grease in deep fat fryers and cookers can reach temperatures higher than 400 degrees and cause serious burns in less than 1
second.