Epidemiology

Burns can be a devastating cause of morbidity and mortality in children. The American Burn Association estimates that 500,000 burned adults and children require medical attention each year in the United States

(124).

(125). Males are more than twice as likely to become burned as females (124). Disabled children have a higher incidence of burns than their nondisabled counterparts

(126). Almost half of all burns (124) and 80% of contact burns (127) occur in the home. Burns are the third lead­ing cause of unintentional injury death in children 1 to 9 years of age (128). Morality is highest in those who are very young, have larger burn size, develop sepsis, and/or experience inhalational injury (129).