Introduction
The prevalence of paediatric non-accidental burn injuries (NAI) in the UK is 5-14%; the range reflects the challenges in identifying suspicious injuries, as well as the underlying geographic and socioeconomic disparities. This study examines the demographics, management, and outcomes of paediatric burn admissions with NAI concerns in a UK burn centre.
Methodology
A retrospective review of all paediatric (≤16yo) admissions in the Glasgow Burn Centre between 2018-2022 was performed.
Results
594 (371 male) paediatric admissions were identified. The mean age was 4.67y and the mean TBSA was 3.65%. Scalds were the most common (59.3%), followed by contact burns (19.9%). The majority of the patients (84.2%) were managed conservatively.
94 children (15.8%) had NAI concerns raised during their admission. These patients were significantly more likely to have larger %TBSA injuries (p<0.001), longer hospital stay (p<0.001) and come from a socioeconomically disadvantaged background (p= 0.007). There was no statistical difference in mean age, need for surgery, positive microbiology, antibiotic use, and duration of follow up.
Conclusion
The prevalence of NAI in our series was higher than the UK average, possibly reflecting socioeconomic disparities. Suspected NAI cases were not associated with worse clinical outcomes.
We recommend that individual burn services examine their own patient cohorts to determine NAI prevalence and interpret these findings in the context of their geography and socioeconomic composition. The main focus of teams treating paediatric burn patients should be on prompt recognition of suspicious injuries, escalation through local safeguarding channels, and influencing public health prevention policies, where applicable.