SKIN BRANDING IN CHILDREN: A BARBARIC PRACTICE STILL EXISTING IN KARNATAKA

Abstract

Background: Skin branding is a barbaric socio-cultural practice most commonly practiced to treat various disorders in neonates and children in certain communities in India. Human branding is the process in which a mark is burnt into the skin of a living person resulting in permanent scarication. This is done either with consent as a form of body modication or as a punishment or even therapeutic treatment unfortunately. Branding is a criminal offence under Indian penal code 324. to assess the prevalence ofObjective: branding in and around Davangere and not to ascertain the cultural and behavioural factors behind branding. Here is aMaterials and Methods: study involving 75 cases of branding in children (neonates to 18 years) over a period of 1 year (2018 June to 2019 June) seen in day today practice mostly encountered with therapeutic skin branding for various conditions viz., long duration fever, headache, febrile seizures, pneumonia, abdominal pain etc. Among the 75 cases of Branding included in the study, 25 febrile seizures (33%), 10 seizures (13%), 14 longResults: duration fever (18%), 5 respiratory infections (6%), 4 mumps (5%), 3 headache (4%), 4 abdominal pain (4%) and 10 other causes (13%). Among the districts in and around Davangere, the maximum cases were seen from Davangere (24 from Harappanahalli, 12 from Channagiri and 6 from Ranebannur, 5 from Harihara) 15 from Bellary, 6 from Shimoga and 5 from Haveri. 3 out of these cases expired directly related to branding or due to delay in reaching hospital. Skin branding which still has therapeutic uses in some cultural societies have severe medicalConclusion: complications. Belief in this method leads to inevitable delays in seeking qualied medical care. Hence extensive education programs explaining its harmful effects aimed at rural illiterate masses including people involved in carrying out branding are required.