Factores determinantes en la ocurrencia de las quemaduras pediátricas, en la Unidad de Quemados del Hospital Niños Roberto Gilbert Elizalde en el periodo enero 2018 a diciembre del 2022.

Abstract

Burns in children represent a global public health problem. Children under 5 years of age, due to their characteristic curiosity and exploration, are the most affected age group. These injuries are very debilitating and lead to serious physical, psychological and social complications. The parameters for evaluation and classification of the burn are depth, extent of affected body surface, location of the injury, causal agent, etc. Appropriate initial management is vital to improve prognosis. An observational, retrospective and descriptive study was carried out on 749 pediatric patients with burns admitted to the Roberto Gilbert Hospital (2018-2022). Demographic, clinical and initial management variables were analyzed. Results: 64% corresponded to children from 1 to 5 years old, the male sex predominated (61%), 76% came from Guayas, in 69% the parents were in charge. The caregiver's education was low in 38%, the home was the most frequent place of occurrence (61%), mainly the kitchen (62% of events inside the home). Hot liquids were the causal agent in 60%, and overturning of containers was the most common mechanism with 49%. Fire was the causal agent in 15%. Regarding the initial management, 32% did not take any action. 15% had serious Severity Index and 3% critical. Burns in children are preventable injuries. Knowledge of risk factors in relation to the characteristics of the child and their socioeconomic, environmental, cultural and educational environment is important to establish and promote educational prevention and protection strategies.