Citation

Kang-Auger G, Ayoub A, Côté-Corriveau G. J. Pediatr. Surg. 2023; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2023.05.027

PMID

37393164

Abstract

We read with interest Kannikeswaran et al.'s study of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pediatric emergency visits for traumatic injuries and burns. The authors found that the risk and severity of injuries increased among children ≤16 years during the pandemic. Falls and burns, especially hot liquid and contact burns, were the most common. The authors hypothesized that the increased risk of trauma and burns was due to school closures, decreased parental supervision, and riskier behavior caused by boredom at home. Child abuse was assessed but was not a major contributor to injuries in their study.

In our analysis of pediatric injuries in Quebec, Canada, injury hospitalizations in children under 5 years also increased during the pandemic, but maltreatment-related hospitalizations decreased. Because a significant part of the increase in hospitalizations was for falls and mechanical force injuries involving another person, it was suspected that some injuries thought to be accidental were actually cases of maltreatment. Maltreatment may have been harder to detect during the pandemic due to a reduced ability to thoroughly investigate suspicious injuries.

Language: en