Illness as a predisposing factor to scalds in children: an exploratory study.

Aim: To explore whether the presence of illness is a predisposing factor to scalds in children aged five years and under.

Method: A mixed methodology approach was used in this exploratory study. The results from the questionnaire phase are reported in this article. Questionnaires (n = 90) were sent out to the parents and carers of all children who had been admitted to a regional paediatric burns unit with scalds in the previous year. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected.

Findings: These supported many of the findings in the literature. A typical child who had been scalded was a male toddler who was injured in the kitchen of his own home in the presence of a carer. Half of the children in this study were unwell around the time of the accident.

Conclusion: Although this was a small pilot study, the need for parents and health carers to be vigilant is highlighted particularly when a child is unwell.