Neither for being exposed to the sun for too long, nor for going over the temperature of the water during the bath. A good portion of childhood burns are caused by the consumption of instant noodles, according to a new study from the University of Chicago Medicine, which found that these types of injuries accounted for nearly a third of all pediatric admissions between 2010 and 2020.
And there are minors more exposed than others. According to this work, African-American children and those living in areas with lower Childhood Opportunity Index (COI) scores were more likely to suffer these injuries than their peers. Those without supervision were also at higher risk: 40% of instant noodle burns occurred when children were reported to be alone during the time of injury.
The research team at the University of Chicago Medicine Burn Center, which cares for both adults and children, reviewed the cases of all pediatric patients admitted with burns caused by hot liquids over a decade. In total, 790 cases in which the patient's demographic data, medical history, length of hospital stay, complications and procedures performed, among other metrics, were reviewed.
Instant noodle burns accounted for nearly a third of all pediatric burn admissions (31%), according to the study published in the journal Burns.
Although the research only examined data from the South Side academic health system, the paper's authors believe the statistics speak to a broader national problem, given the consumption of instant noodles, which are cheap and easy to prepare. .
They also remember that instant noodles, which contain starchy liquid among its solid components, cause different burn patterns. Although they are less serious injuries than others, they are still dangerous and lead to hospitalizations. Sometimes burns can require surgery, including a skin graft, they insist.
The researchers did not explore the exact circumstances of instant noodle burn injuries, although they did observe common patterns: accidental spillage when removing containers from the microwave or while eating, caused by the narrow bottoms of the containers.
Care must be taken when consuming this type of food, they point out in their conclusions. “We were surprised by the sheer magnitude of the problem, which confirmed that focused effort and awareness around these types of burns could have a significant impact in the communities our burn center serves,” explains lead author Sebastian Vrouwe, an assistant professor of surgery at UChicago Medicine.
Vrouwe hopes this research lays "the foundation for future burn prevention programming, since essentially all childhood burns are preventable in some way."
