Annals of Burns and Fire Disasters - vol. X - n. 1 - March 1997 BURN CAMPAIGNS IN BELGIUM FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF FIVE YEARSHendrickx A., Boeckx W. Burn Care Unit, University Hospital, St. Pieter Leuven, Belgium SUMMARY. Of Belgium's population of about 10,000,000, some 120,000 (1.2%) are the victims of burn injury every year. Ten thousand (0. 1 %) need to be hospitalized, in either a general hospital or a burns centre. Approximately 800 of these patients are treated in one of the six specialized burn units in Belgium. Annually about 150 patients die owing to the consequences of their burns. Since the early 1980s, the number of burn cases has not substantially changed. By the year 2000 we expect an important increase in burn prevention measures (e.g. smoke detectors) as well as a growing awareness among the target-public (e.g. through media campaigns), as a result of which, hopefully, there will be a drop in the number of burn injuries. Studies show that in Belgium 70% of all burn-related accidents occur in the home and that pre-school children (23 yr) form an extremely vulnerable group. There is a need for general awareness of the dangers involved, with education of the public underlining the importance of parental supervision: for example, keeping children out of the kitchen would prevent a significant number of accidents. It is important to organize ongoing information campaigns, as those who have recently become parents may not be aware of the dangers facing their children. Safety training is an absolute necessity and accordingly there are several organizations and centres in Belgium that specialize in burn prevention. This paper also describes a number of practical precautions and a video campaign. Introduction Belgium has a population of about
10,000,000. Every year some 120,000 persons (1.2%) are the victims of burn injury, of whom
about 10,000 need to be hospitalized in either a general hospital or a burns centre.
Approximately 800 of these patients are treated in one of the six specialized burn units
in Belgium. Annually about 150 patients die as a result of their burns. There has been no
substantial change in the number of burn cases since the early 1980s. Ideally, the
effectiveness of a successful prevention campaign would be reflected in a decrease in
mortality and morbidity rates.
As can be seen, nearly 70%
of all burn injuries occur in the home, confirming the consideration that the risk of burn
injury is highest in the domestic environment. It is important to notice that in all age
categories accidents in the home are the most frequent. This is especially true among
children up to the age of 15 yr, particularly in the 0 to 4 yr old age group, as we shall
see when we consider the distribution of burn accidents according to age.
By monthly distribution, the highest percentage (11.0%) of burn victims is found in May, followed by December (Table IV). The explanation for the high frequencies may be due to the fact that in May, i.e. at the beginning of the summer period, barbecue parties become popular and inexperienced people are easy victims, while in December the increase is mainly due to the widespread practice of making cheese fondues and to the use of fireworks at parties.
Table V shows that children, especially very young children, are particularly exposed to the risk of burn injuries. It is frightening to see that over 10% of all patients are found in the 0-4 yr age group. The rate of burn injuries in males is twice as high as among femalesl even though in the total population males are less numerous than women. If we examine the age groups we find that two groups dominate:
Prevention efforts for schools We distribute brochures with numerous prevention
recommendations and we present slides and videos. For little children (3-5 yr) we use a
puppet theatre and try to teach entertainingly. We show slides suitable for young
children, representing comic characters in a variety of dangerous situations. Dangers in the kitchen Analysis of the immediate causes of
burn injuries indicates that the great majority of patients are burned by hot liquids. In
our experience, hot water is the primary cause, being responsible for 46% of cases,
followed by hot oil, hot coffee, tea, and soup. Dangers in the bathroom Water can be a nice toy for a baby -
but not when it is hotter than 37 OC. The best burn prevention measure is never to
leave a child alone in the bathroom - even when the phone rings! In many households the
hot water temperature is around 60-65 'C, enough to produce a full-thickness burn in as
little as 2 to 5 seconds of exposure. Conclusion There is a need for general awareness
of burn risk. This can be achieved through education of the public with special emphasis
on the importance of careful parental supervision of children.
It is important to promote ongoing information campaigns as those who have recently become parents may not be aware of the dangers to which their children are exposed.
RESUME. La Belgique a une
population de 10 millions de personnes, dont 120.000 (1,2%) subissent annuellement des
brûlures. De ces patients 10.000 (0, 1 %) sont hospitalisés dans une polyclinique ou un
centre de brûlés; 800 de ces patients sont traités dans un des six centres
spécialisés qui existent en Belgique. Tous les ans environ 150 patients meurent à cause
de leurs brûlures. Depuis les premières années quatre-vingts le numéro annuel des cas
de brûlures reste presque inchangé. D'ici à 2000 nous prévoyons une grosse
augmentation des mesures pour la prevention des brûlures (par exemple, les détecteurs de
fumée) et aussi une sensibilisation croissante de la population cible (par exemple, à
travers des campagnes des média). Il faut espérer que nous verrons une réduction de la
fréquence des brûlures. De tous les accidents qui provoquent des brûlures, 70% se
produisent dans la maison. Les enfants d'âge préscolaire (2-5 ans) constituent un groupe
très vulnérable en Belgique. Il faut augmenter la conscience collective du problème à
travers l'éducation de la population afin de souligner l'importance de la surveillance
des parents, qui doivent le plus possible éviter que les enfants entrent dans la cuisine,
pour prévenir les accidents qui s'y produisent en numéro significatif. Il est très
important d'organiser des campagnes permanentes d'information parce que les nouveaux
parents peuvent ignorer les dangers auxquels leurs enfants sont exposés. La formation à
la sécurité est une nécessité absolue et par conséquent il y a en Belgique plusieurs
organisations et centres spécialisés dans la prévention des brûlures. Les Auteurs
décrivent quelques précautions pratiques et une vidéo-campagne. BIBLIOGRAPHY
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