Biomaterial Database

Burn injuries caused by a hair-dryer--an unusual case of child abuse. 2001

M Darok, and S Reischle

Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 4, A-8010 Graz, Austria. mario.darok@kfunigraz.ac.at

About 1.4-26% burn injuries in children appear to be abusive in origin. A 2.5-year-old girl was referred to our institute because of suspected child abuse. Clinical examination and later interrogation of the mother revealed non-recent deep second degree burn injuries on both gluteal regions, caused by the partner of the mother by pressing a hand-held hair-dryer against the skin. The authors present the findings of this unusual method of child abuse.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D010808	Physical Examination	Systematic and thorough inspection of the patient for physical signs of disease or abnormality.	Physical Exam,Examination, Physical,Physical Examinations and Diagnoses,Exam, Physical,Examinations, Physical,Exams, Physical,Physical Examinations,Physical Exams
D002056	Burns	Injuries to tissues caused by contact with heat, steam, chemicals (BURNS, CHEMICAL), electricity (BURNS, ELECTRIC), or the like.	Burn
D002649	Child Abuse	Abuse of children in a family, institutional, or other setting. (APA, Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms, 1994)	Abuse Experiences, Childhood,Child Neglect,Child Neglect Experiences,Child Neglect, Physical,Childhood Abuse Experiences,Childhood Neglect Experiences,Neglect Experience, Childhood,Neglect Experiences, Childhood,Physical Neglect, Childhood,Child Maltreatment,Child Mistreatment,Abuse Experience, Childhood,Abuse, Child,Child Neglect Experience,Childhood Abuse Experience,Childhood Neglect Experience,Childhood Physical Neglect,Childhood Physical Neglects,Experience, Child Neglect,Experience, Childhood Abuse,Experience, Childhood Neglect,Maltreatment, Child,Mistreatment, Child,Neglect Experience, Child,Neglect, Child,Neglect, Childhood Physical,Neglect, Physical Child,Physical Child Neglect,Physical Child Neglects
D002675	Child, Preschool	A child between the ages of 2 and 5.	Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D005260	Female		Females
D005554	Forensic Medicine	The application of medical knowledge to questions of law.	Legal Medicine,Medicine, Forensic,Medicine, Legal
D006197	Hair	A filament-like structure consisting of a shaft which projects to the surface of the SKIN from a root which is softer than the shaft and lodges in the cavity of a HAIR FOLLICLE. It is found on most surfaces of the body.	Fetal Hair,Hair, Fetal,Lanugo,Fetal Hairs,Hairs,Hairs, Fetal
D006361	Heating	The application of heat to raise the temperature of the environment, ambient or local, or the systems for accomplishing this effect. It is distinguished from HEAT, the physical property and principle of physics.
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000061	Accidents, Home	ACCIDENTS which occur within the home.	Home Accidents,Accident, Home,Home Accident