Childhood burns in camping and outdoor cooking accidents: a focus for prevention.

We have seen increasing numbers of children who present with serious burns related to camping and outdoor cooking, prompting this 5-year review. Of 34 children (21 boys and 13 girls), with an average age of 5.2 years (4 months to 17 years) and average burn size of 15% (1% to 98%) cared for (4 as outpatients and 30 as inpatients), there was one fatality (3%). Mechanisms of injury included falling into free pits, throwing flammables into grills or pits, placing hands on hot objects in or near a fire, walking or falling into hot embers from an extinguished fire, spills from insect repellant candies, tent fires, burning of paper eating utensils, and cooking scalds. We have initiated a directed prevention program with the regional state park systems.

Burned children from the Bashkir train-gas pipeline disaster. II. Follow-up experience at Children's Hospital 9, Moscow.

A group of US surgeons and nurses was invited by the Soviet surgeons and nurses of the Burn Unit of Childrens Hospital 9 to return to Moscow to participate in the evaluation and treatment of a group of 25 children burned in the Bashkir train-gas pipeline accident of 4 June 1989. The US group had participated in the acute care of the children 7 months before. Major sequelae observed were hepatitis, cardiomyopathy and severe emotional disorders. Reconstructive surgery for burn scars was jointly planned and carried out during a 2-week period of mutually instructive cooperation.