• Suzanne Roberts and James A Meltzer.
• Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Jacobi Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
• Pediatr Emerg Med Pract. 2013 Sep 1;10(9):1-16; quiz 16-7.

AbstractElectrical injuries, while uncommon, can be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. In children, the injuries tend to occur in the household; in adolescents, they are most often associated with misguided youthful exploration outside the home. Injuries in adults are primarily occupational and due to workplace accidents. Electrical injuries are categorized by their electrical source and can result from low-voltage, high-voltage, lightning strike, or electrical arc exposure. The injury can range from minor to life threatening, and they can cause multisystem complications. High-voltage electrical exposures usually cause severe burns, whereas victims of lightning strikes may have no obvious physical injury but may present in cardiopulmonary arrest. Strategies to prevent electrical injuries have been developed and should be discussed with families and healthcare providers to reduce the incidence of these injuries in children. This review highlights the current literature related to the evaluation and management of children with electrical injuries presenting to the emergency department.

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