Burn injury from car seat in an 11-month-old infant

Burns in young infants have long been recognized as a potential cause of nonaccidental injury. Accidental exposure to hot car seat parts resulting in significant burn injury is an unusual mimicker of child abuse. A case involving an 11-month-old child who presented with a significant contact burn injury related to the noncovered, heated, plastic part of a car seat, is described. The present case encourages physicians to maintain an unbiased approach to each referred case and to explore the differential diagnosis by detailed history and physical examination. It also serves as a reminder in caregiver education about the precautions to be taken during long-distance travel with young children and infants.