The Burn Unit of the Costa Rican Children Hospital reached its maximum occupation capacity, this worries the authorities of the medical center, who reported that through November, 2016 reports a total of 378 cases of minors who have suffered a burn.

“We are very worried ecause right now we are at 100% occupancy in the Burnt Child Comprehensive Care Unit, we even have the support of some pediatric surgeons that are caring for kids with burns in some of the regional hospitals”, explained the director of the Children Hospital, Doctor Olga Arguedas.

Hot liquids (coffee, milk, soup, oil, etc.) are at the top of the list of the causes of burns in minors in the National Children Hospital, which represent a 60%, in second place are burns caused by direct contact with a hot object such as clothes irons and hair straighteners.

“As it is usual, during the month of December, the number of cases of burned minors due to fireworks, hot liquids, and hot surfaces increases, but we are highly concerned because the number of new cases attended in just the first eight days of December is alarming”, explained Arguedas.

The Children Hospital is launching the campaign Zero Burns with Fireworks, which hopes to raise awareness and avoid cases of kids with burns product of the use of fireworks during the Christmas and end of year celebrations.

According to Doctor Carlos Siri, chief of the Burnt Child Comprehensive Care Unit, “90% of our children suffer burns in their home, and out of these, half happen in the kitchen. 70% of the affected children are under 4 years of age and 80% were in company of an adult”.

The sell and provision of fireworks to minors is considered a felony in Costa Rica, the person selling or providing fireworks to a minor can be punished with prison.