SCALDS AMONG CHILDREN IN KUWAIT

In a prospective study of 560 children treated for burns as in-patient s over a period of four-and-a-half years in specialized hospitals resp onsible for the majority of burn cases in Kuwait, 388 patients (69%) h ad sustained scalds. The mean age of these 388 children, between 0 to 12 years, was 3.02 +/- 2.08, and male to female ratio 1.5 to 1. They w ere categorized into three age groups, first, up to 1 year comprised 1 7.5% cases, who were solely dependent on parents or childminder; secon d, 2 to 5 years of age, who were inquisitive, independent, pre-school children, and constituted the majority of cases (73%), and third 6 to 12 years who were 9.5% school children. The pre-school children (2-5 y ears) thus formed a highly vulnerable group in the country. Accidents (99.4%) occurred at home and the kitchen being the commonest place. Th e hot water from pan and pots in the kitchen was the most common etiol ogic factor in 229 cases (59%), followed by tea/coffee 20.7%, soup 9.0 %, hot oil 6.7%, and milk 4.6% patients. The most common circumstance was the child upsetting the pan of hot fluid in the kitchen. The mean total body surface areas of second and third degree burns were 14.21 /- 9.66 (range 1 to 60%). The average length of stay in the hospital w as 16.90 +/- 15.74 days, varying from one to 109 days. Thirty-nine chi ldren were ill prior to burn, and the commonest disease was respirator y tract infection. Three patients (0.8%) with 3rd degree burns were tr eated with primary excision and grafting, and 137 (35.3%) needed secon dary skin grafting for residual burn wounds. Four patients (1%) died, one due to burn shock, two due to septicemia and one due to multiorgan failure. There is need for general awareness through public education , which may lead to the prevention of significant number of such accid ents.