Çocuklarda ev içi elektrik yanýklarý

Indoor electric burns in children

BACKGROUND: Electric burns are serious public health problems that comprise 3.5% of the burns that refer to the hospital. By biting and sucking the electric cords, mouth and lip burns occur in the children. The mortality rate is 90% in the children who had cardiac arrest before coming to the hospital. In this study, the electric burns that were followed-up in our clinic were reported. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Four cases with electric burns followed-up in our clinic between September 2002 February 2003; were assessed. The cases were called back to control one and six months after the burn incident and the indoor precautions required were appraised. RESULTS: The mean ages of two male and two female children were respectively 23,6±10,6 months (10 - 36 months) Two of the four cases with burns had played with electric plugs and the other two had bitten the cords. The indoor precautions had still not been taken at the first and six months of the follow up period. CONCLUSIONS: House visits are important since the preventive measures are not usually taken at home.. In consideration of higher incidence of exposure to indoor accidents during childhood, the best way to avoid accidents is to take preventive measures against them.