Epidemiology of childhood burns in the burn unit of Ain Shams University in Cairo, Egypt

Childhood burns in Egypt are a significant problem, especially in families of low socioeconomic status. These families live in overcrowded flats, which lack proper hygiene and tend to use kerosene stoves, which lack any safety measures. Three hundred and five burned children presented to the burn unit of Ain Shams University over a 20 month period. Proportionately more boys than girls were injured. There was an increase in the incidence between the ages of 4 to 6 years. Scalds formed 56.7% of the cause of burns, while 38.6% were due to flame. In 3 and 1.6% the cause of burn was electrical and chemical, respectively. 20 patients were victims of industrial accidents showing a major problem of entrance of children between 8-15 years of lower socioeconomic class into the labor force. 87.2% of the patients had minor burns while 13 children (4.3%) died of the consequences of burns during the period of the study. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd for ISBI. All rights reserved.