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Paediatric Post-Traumatic Stress Risk for Young People and Parents following Acute Admission for Paediatric
Anita Freeman1, Emily Golding1, Jennifer Gardner2
1Great Ormond Street Hospital, NHS Foundation Trust, London WC1N 3JH, UK.
Insights
Paediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (PIMS-TS) significantly impacts children and their parents, with many at risk for trauma. Proactive screening for psychological distress in families after PIMS-TS hospital admission is crucial.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Psychology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Paediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (PIMS-TS) emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Limited research addresses the psychological needs of children and young people (CYP) post-PIMS-TS hospitalization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore psychological needs of CYP and families after PIMS-TS.
- To examine access to psychology services for these patients.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study of 121 CYP and their parents/caregivers.
- Screening for psychological distress and trauma risk.
- Data collected from a London tertiary pediatric hospital (April 2020-May 2021).
Main Results:
- 23.3% of CYP were at risk for traumatic stress; 11.6% for emotional disturbance.
- 40.5% of parents screened positive for trauma response.
- Significant correlation found between CYP and parental trauma risk.
Conclusions:
- Proactive screening for trauma and emotional distress in CYP and parents is vital.
- A systems-of-care approach is needed, considering the child within the family unit.
- Clinicians must prioritize parental mental health to understand the child's psychological impact.
Background:
Paediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (PIMS-TS) is a novel condition that was identified for the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic. Limited research exists that describes the psychological needs of children and young people (CYP) following an acute hospital admission for PIMS-TS.
Methods:
A retrospective cohort study was conducted to explore both psychological need and access to psychology services for CYP and their families who were admitted to a paediatric tertiary hospital in London, UK, for PIMS-TS between April 2020 and May 2021.
Results:
We included 121 CYP and a parent/caregiver for each. In total, 23.3% of the CYP were at risk of developing a traumatic stress response and 11.6% were at risk of experiencing emotional disturbance. Of the parents screened, 40.5% also scored above clinical cut-off for a trauma response. There was a significant relationship observed between CYP and parents identified as having a trauma risk.
Conclusions:
The importance of proactive screening for both trauma and emotional distress in CYP and their parents/caregivers following acute hospital admission is highlighted. In addition, there is a need to think about a CYP as part of a system of care and to ensure that clinicians pay attention to parental wellbeing and mental health when understanding the psychological impact on a child.
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