Vaporiser-related injury in children aged 0-14 years

Vaporiser units are use in the home to treat respiratory tract illness in children. From January 1996 to December 2006, 56 children aged 0-14 years presented to a Victorian hospital Emergency Department (ED) with vaporiser-related injury. Cases are identified on the Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset (VEMD). Frequency: The frequency of vaporiser–related injuries in children fluctuated over the 10-year period, with a peak of 10 cases in 2003 (Table 1). However as the yearly frequency is small it is prone to fluctuation.

Table 1: Vaporiser–related injury ED presentations by year

Source: VEMD, Jan ‘96 - Dec ‘06

Age: Figure 1 shows that almost half of the vaporiser-related injuries cases (46%) involved one-year-olds, while 33% were infants aged less than 12 months and 12% were two-year-olds. No cases of four-year-olds were recorded. Less than 5 cases were identified for three-year-olds and among children aged 5-14 years.

Source: VEMD, Jan ‘96 - Dec ‘06

Figure 1: Vaporiser–related injury ED presentations by age (n=56)

Gender: Males (63%) were more frequently injured than females (37%).

Cause: The most common causes reported were ingestion of vaporiser fluid and burns mostly scalds from hot fluid, steams burns and contact burns. Previous work reported in Hazard 43 indicates that children often access vaporiser units left on the floor of the bedroom.

Nature of injury: As shown in Figure 2, burns/scalds (55%) and poisonings, (30%) were the most frequent injuries reported.

Body site: Hand, including finger injuries accounted for 38% of all injuries. Poisoning was the second most common injury (30%) (Figure 3).

Source: VEMD, Jan ‘96 - Dec ‘06	Source: VEMD Jan ‘96 - December ‘06
Figure 2: Vaporiser - related injury ED presentations by type of injury (n=56)	Figure 3: Vaporiser - related injury ED presentations by body site injured (n=56)

Location: Ninety-five percent of the injuries occurred in the home.

Discharge status: Ninety percent of ED presentations were discharged to home. Ten percent of the injuries were severe enough to require hospitalisation.

Prevention: Manufacturers should redesign existing vaporiser units by investigating electrically safe design solutions to cover vaporiser wells. New designs of waterless vaporiser units should be evaluated for safety. Parents should ensure that when using a vaporiser unit, use at a safe distance away from the child. Vaporiser units should be removed from children's sleeping areas immediately after use.

Further information: For further information regarding vaporiser - related injury in children, see Hazard edition 43, www.monash.edu.au/muarc/VISU/hazard/haz43.pdf [330KB]