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Behavioral disturbances in children after trauma
M D Basson1, J E Guinn, J McElligott
1Department of Surgery, St. Mary's Hospital, Waterbury, CT 06706.
The Journal of Trauma
|October 1, 1991
Summary
Physical trauma in children, even without head injury, can cause significant and lasting psychological and behavioral issues. These child trauma effects, including phobias and depression, may persist for years, highlighting a poorly recognized problem.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Psychology
- Childhood Trauma Studies
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Psychological effects of nonneurologic trauma in children are often overlooked.
- Existing research inadequately addresses the long-term behavioral consequences of physical injuries in pediatric populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence and nature of psychobehavioral dysfunction in children following physical trauma, with or without head injury.
- To compare the psychological sequelae of trauma in children to a control group undergoing non-traumatic surgery.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a two-stage assessment: a brief telephone survey followed by a detailed behavioral checklist.
- Studied three groups: children with trauma without head injury (n=40), children with trauma and minor head injury (n=40), and a control group after appendectomy (n=80).
Main Results:
- Significant behavioral disabilities, including phobias, scholastic difficulties, rage attacks, and depression, were identified in 35% of children without head injury and 28% with head injury.
- No behavioral dysfunction was observed in the control appendectomy group.
- Symptoms persisted for an average of 19 months, even in children who eventually recovered.
Conclusions:
- Physical trauma in children, irrespective of head injury, can lead to substantial and prolonged psychological and behavioral abnormalities.
- Parental assessment of behavioral dysfunction is a sensitive and specific screening tool for identifying affected children.
- The long-lasting psychological impact of childhood trauma is more prevalent than previously recognized.