Fire Burns Especially Children

December 22, 2021

Thousands of burn-injury deaths occur each year. There was a time when, of thise persons requiring hospitalizations, two out of every three were burned at home. Work burn injuries account for one out of every five hospitalization.

For both burn-caused injuries and deaths the first 10 years of life are the most risky. Other high-risk ages are the early working years and those over 50. Burn injuries occur almost twice as frequently in males as in females.

Because of the nature of burn injuries, victims stay in hospitals an average of twice as long as those patients injured in other ways. About one out of every six or seven burn injuries require intensive burn care.

In addition to hot liquids, the more common hazzards causing hospitalized burn injuries are flammable clothing, gasoline, automobiles, chemicals, grease, cooking oils, stoves and ovens including home heating units.

Leading causes of burn death are fires in private dwellings, ignition of clothing, combustion of flammable materials other than clothing, and hot materials, corrosive liquids and steam.

Although the total number of persons suffering severe burn injuriesis small, the impact of those burns is so great that they require much greater attention. Burns not only alter the appearance of victims but they frequently result in serious psychological damage. In addition, burn injuries present one of the most difficult problems of treatment in medicine.

To prevent burn injuries, especially in children, you shoul;

• Not allow children to play with matches.

• Buy only nonflammable clothing.

• Not leave lighted stoves unattended.

• Install smoke-detector alarms in homes ( between bedrooms and kitchen )

• Store combustible materials with care.

• Crush all cigarettes and cigars when discarding.

• Keep fireplaces properly screened.

Thank you for reading and protect our children against fire.