A large group of children struck by lightning

We report on the largest case to date of children with significant injuries from a single lightning strike. A retrospective analysis was done of the camping scene and injuries to 28 people (26 preadolescent girls and 2 adult supervisors) and 7 dogs from a documented lightning strike. Of the 35 victims sleeping in the tent, 4 girls and 4 dogs were fatally injured. The 2 adults were unharmed, but 23 of the children suffered injuries including burns (23), cataracts (8), macular holes (4), tympanic membrane rupture (2), and skull fracture (2). Many of these injuries occurred more frequently than would be expected from prior large reviews and reports. [Carte AE, Anderson RB, Cooper MA. A large group of children struck by lightning. Ann Emerg Med. June 2002;39:665-670.]