SUNDAY, Feb. 17, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- An average of two children die from burns and more than 300 are treated for such injuries in U.S. emergency departments every day, a burn expert says.
Burns are one of the leading causes of death and injury in the United States, and children are particularly vulnerable.
Young children are at increased risk for accidental burns because their mental and physical abilities are not fully developed. Also, they have thinner skin layers than adults, which means they suffer deeper burns at lower temperatures and more quickly, the experts explained.
"Thirty percent of our burn patients are children," said Dr. Anthony Baldea. He is medical director at Loyola Burn Center at Loyola University Health System in Illinois.
"Most of these burns could have been prevented. While advances in treatments have led to better outcomes, the best strategy is to take simple precautions to prevent burns from occurring in the first place," Baldea said in a Loyola news release.
Loyola's Burn Center and the American Burn Association offer tips on preventing burns in children.
More information
The American Academy of Pediatrics has more on preventing and treating burns.