Scalding injuries in immigrant families

From 1990 to 1996, 214 patients aged up to 6 years were treated at our inpa tient burns unit. Ages ranged from 3 to 70 months. Scalding was the cause i n 186 cases. The median size of the burned areas was 5.0% (range 0.5%-40%). One hundred and nine were deep dermal burns that required surgical treatme nt, but this was refused in seven instances. Duration of hospital stay was 11 days (2-45). The number of follow-up visits ranged from 0 to 17. Seconda ry reconstructions for scarring have been done for seven children so far. N inety-eight (46%) came from immigrant. families, mostly from the Middle Eas t and the Balkans. Of the 186 scalded children, 94 (51 %) were immigrants, and they also had a tendency to have more severe injuries. Explanations mig ht be that they were more likely to cook with water and oil, they were unfa miliar with Swedish safety standards and measures, and they had difficulty in communicating (language) and a limited social network. The ensuing scar also may disturb or delay the child's adaptation to the new environment. Ou r preventive work is now based on a model that states that frequency, type, and severity of injury is dictated by the variables: risk, personality, su pervision, and education.