New research calls for improved pediatric burn care infrastructure nationwide

The Critical Gap in Pediatric Burn Care

The landscape of burn treatment in the United States is currently an uneven network. While many acute care hospitals provide basic burn services, there is a significant shortage of specialized facilities equipped to handle the unique needs of children.

According to a review paper co-authored by Dr. James C. Jeng, a trauma, burn, and critical care surgeon at UCI Health, the disparity in resources and skill levels across the country creates a precarious situation for pediatric patients.

Currently, fewer than 40 of the 75 American Burn Association (ABA)-verified programs are specifically verified for pediatrics. This gap suggests a future trend where the medical community must prioritize the expansion of pediatric-verified centers to ensure that children receive age-specific, family-centered care.

Preparing for the Unthinkable: Mass Casualty Events

Experts are warning that the U.S. Healthcare system is not currently prepared for a mass disaster involving multiple burn casualties. The urgency to reform the burn care network is being driven by several global threats, including climate change and the potential for nuclear or biological disasters.

To address these vulnerabilities, specialists have convened children’s burn initiatives aimed at improving the understanding of where specialist care is delivered and defining gaps within the emergency care system.

The future of burn care will likely involve a more strategic, coordinated plan of action to ensure that when large-scale events occur, the network can distribute patients to centers with the appropriate resources and expertise without delay.

The Role of Academic Health Systems

Integration with academic health systems is becoming a cornerstone of advanced burn treatment. Facilities like the UCI Health Regional Burn Center—the first of its kind in Orange County—combine clinical care with innovative research.

This synergy allows surgeons and researchers to develop new protocols that improve long-term quality of life for patients, moving beyond simple survival toward full functional recovery.

Why “Children Are Not Small Adults”

One of the most critical shifts in burn care is the recognition that pediatric patients require an entirely different approach than adults. As Dr. Syed F. Saquib, Medical Director of the UCI Health Regional Burn Center, notes, burns affect a child’s growth, development, and long-term quality of life in ways they do not affect adults.

Because of these physiological differences, the trend is moving toward highly specialized pediatric burn units that can provide 24-hour complex care tailored to a child’s developing body.

Understanding the Primary Causes of Pediatric Burns

Data from UCI Health reveals a clear pattern in how children are injured, providing a roadmap for future prevention efforts:

• Scalds (67%): Caused by hot liquids, bathwater, or drinks.
• Contact (22%): Resulting from hot surfaces, tools, or appliances.
• Flame (6%): Caused by open flames or fires.

These statistics underscore the demand for targeted public health campaigns focusing on home safety to reduce the incidence of scalds and contact burns.

Expert Insight: The Importance of Board-Certified Care

The complexity of burn recovery requires a multidisciplinary approach. Surgeons like Dr. James C. Jeng, who is board-certified in both General Surgery and Surgical Critical Care, bring specialized training in shock, trauma, and burn research to the table.

With over 40 years of experience, Dr. Jeng’s function as a professor in the Division of Trauma, Burns, and Surgical Critical Care at the UC Irvine School of Medicine emphasizes the importance of continuing education and fellowship-trained expertise in managing the most complex burn cases.

For more detailed clinical insights, you can explore the research published in The Annals of Surgery Open.

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