High risk groups in burns
- Children: infants and toddlers up to four years old make up 20% of all patients with burn injuries.6 Seventy percent of their injuries are scalds due to spilling hot liquids or being exposed to hot bath water.6
- Older adults: People over the age of 65 make up around 10% of patients with burns. This may be due to slower reactions, mental and physical co-morbidities and immobility.1, 6 This group tends to have a higher incidence of burns during the winter months.
- Other higher risk groups include: alcoholics, epileptics, those with chronic psychiatric or medical conditions and those who have a low socio-economic status.1,6
Learning bite
In children and vulnerable adults, it is important to actively exclude non-accidental injury.