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Prevalence, comorbidity and course of trauma reactions in young burn-injured children

Alexandra C De Young1, Justin A Kenardy, Vanessa E Cobham

  • 1School of Psychology and Centre of National Research on Disability and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Queensland, Herston, Qld, Australia. adeyoung@uq.edu.au

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines
|June 16, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Young children with burns face significant psychological distress, with 35% experiencing disorders. Early intervention is crucial for their recovery and development after burn injuries.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Psychology
  • Burn Injury Research
  • Child Trauma Studies

Background:

  • Young children (infants, toddlers, preschoolers) are at the highest risk for burn injuries.
  • This vulnerable population has been historically underrepresented in burn injury research.
  • Understanding posttrauma reactions in young burn survivors is critical.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the prevalence, onset, comorbidity, and recovery patterns of posttrauma reactions in young children with burns.
  • To identify psychological disorders and distress levels in children following burn injuries.
  • To inform interventions for improving psychological adjustment in pediatric burn survivors.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 130 unintentionally burned children aged 1-6 years was studied.
  • Parental assessments using the Diagnostic Infant Preschool Assessment were conducted at 1 and 6 months post-burn.
  • The study focused on unintentional burn injuries in a pediatric population.

Main Results:

  • While most children demonstrated resilience, 35% were diagnosed with at least one psychological disorder.
  • A high rate of comorbidity with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was observed.
  • Eight percent of children showed no improvement in distress levels over the 6-month study period.

Conclusions:

  • These psychological outcomes can negatively impact medical and psychosocial recovery, as well as developmental trajectories.
  • Screening, prevention, and early intervention resources should be integrated into pediatric healthcare.
  • Optimizing psychological adjustment is essential for children's long-term well-being after burn injuries.
Abstract

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