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Young burned children: the course of acute stress and physiological and behavioral responses

Frederick J Stoddard1, Heidi Ronfeldt, Jerome Kagan

  • 1Shriners Burns Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 51 Blossom St., Boston, MA 02114, USA. fstoddard@partners.org

The American Journal of Psychiatry
|June 3, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Young children experiencing burns can develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Their social smiling and vocalizations were linked to PTSD symptoms and physiological responses.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Psychology
  • Trauma Studies
  • Burn Injury Research

Background:

  • Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) research often overlooks young children, despite their significant risk following burn injuries.
  • This longitudinal study examines acute posttraumatic symptoms and physiological reactivity in toddlers and preschoolers.
  • Burn injuries affect approximately 40% of all pediatric patients.

Observation:

  • The study followed 72 children aged 12–48 months admitted to a burn unit.
  • Parental interviews and the Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adolescents (DICA) assessed PTSD symptoms.
  • Physiological data (heart rate) and behavioral responses (smiling, vocalization) were recorded during hospitalization and post-discharge.

Findings:

  • Reduced social smiling correlated with PTSD symptoms and heart rate reactivity.
  • Decreased vocalization was associated with pain ratings.
  • Both smiling and vocalizations showed relationships with specific PTSD symptom clusters.

Implications:

  • Preschoolers hospitalized for burns exhibit PTSD symptoms and physiological changes.
  • Social engagement behaviors like smiling and vocalizing may serve as indicators of distress.
  • Further research is needed to understand and mitigate PTSD in young burn survivors.
Abstract

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