A study of burns in children.

A retrospective study was made of burns in children admitted to a burns centre in India over a 5-yr period (1999-2003). Of the total number of 2364 burn patients admitted during this period, 222 were children (9.4%). Of these, 134 cases whose records were available were analysed for age, sex, site of injury, causes, place of accident, mortality, etc.: 131 out of the 134 cases were accidental, two suicidal, and one homicidal. Scalds are commonest (65 cases = 49%), followed by flames. Forty-seven children died (35.1%) and 65 survived (48.5%); there were 22 cases of self-discharge. Mortality was directly proportional to percentage TBSA burn: of the 28 patients with more than 50% TBSA burns, 26 (92.8%) died.