title: Home remedy or hazard?: management and costs of paediatric steam inhalation therapy burn injuries.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Steam inhalation has long been considered a beneficial home remedy to treat children with viral respiratory tract infections, but there is no evidence to suggest a benefit and children are at risk of serious burn injuries.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the demographics, mechanism, management, and costs of steam inhalation therapy scalds to a regional burns centre in the UK, and to ascertain whether this practice is recommended by primary care providers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study of all patients admitted to a regional burns centre in Swansea, Wales, with steam inhalation therapy scalds.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients who attended the burns centre for steam inhalation therapy scalds between January 2010 and February 2015 were identified using the burns database and data on patient demographics, treatment, and costs incurred were recorded. In addition, an electronic survey was e-mailed to 150 local GPs to determine whether they recommended steam inhalation therapy to patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixteen children attended the burns centre with steam inhalation scalds. The average age attending was 7.4 years (range 1-15 years) and, on average, three children per year were admitted. The most common indication was for the common cold (n = 9). The average size of the burns was 3.1% (range: 0.25-17.0%) of total body area. One child was managed surgically; the remainder were treated with dressings, although one patient required a stay in a high-dependency unit. The total cost of treatment for all patients was £37,133. All in all, 17 out of 21 GPs surveyed recommended steam inhalation to their patients; eight out of 19 GPs recommended it for children aged <5 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Steam inhalation incurs a significant cost to patients and the healthcare system. Its practice continues to be recommended by GPs but children, due to their limited motor skills, curiosity, and poor awareness of danger, are at significant risk of burn injuries and this dangerous practice should no longer be recommended.
authors.affiliation: Consultant burns and plastic surgeon, Welsh Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery, Swansea, Wales.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al Himdani
authors.affiliation: Consultant burns and plastic surgeon, Welsh Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery, Swansea, Wales.
authors.forename: Muhammad Umair
authors.initials: MU
authors.lastname: Javed
authors.affiliation: Consultant burns and plastic surgeon, Welsh Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery, Swansea, Wales.
authors.forename: Juliana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Morriston Hospital, Swansea, Wales.
authors.forename: Olivia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Falconer
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Morriston Hospital, Swansea, Wales.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bidder
authors.affiliation: Consultant burns and plastic surgeon, Welsh Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery, Swansea, Wales.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hemington-Gorse
authors.affiliation: Consultant burns and plastic surgeon, Welsh Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery, Swansea, Wales.
authors.forename: Dai
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nguyen
mesh_terms: D000061:Accidents, Home / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002056:Burns / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003139:Common Cold / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education*; D012138:Respiratory Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012648:Self Care / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013227:Steam / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014852:Wales / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D013227:Steam
keywords: burns; inhalation; paediatrics; scald; steam