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Preventing morphological disturbances in burn-scarred children wearing compressive face garments
S D King1, P A Blomberg, S P Pegg
1Burns Unit, Royal Children's Hospital, Brisbane, Australia.
Insights
Continuous external compression garments help manage postburn hypertrophic scarring in children. A bimaxillary mouthguard may reduce sleep disturbances and dental issues associated with facial compression garments.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric burn recovery
- Scar management
- Sleep medicine
Background:
- Continuous external compression via elasticized garments is standard for postburn hypertrophic scarring.
- Children with facial burns often require compressive face garments during recovery.
- Parents report concerns about sleep disturbances and dental changes in children using these garments.
Abstract:
Continuous external compression in the form of elasticized garments is a well-accepted and substantiated form of management for postburn hypertrophic scarring. Children who have sustained deep partial thickness and/or full skin thickness burns to the face and head are frequently prescribed elasticized compressive face garments in the post-acute stage of their recovery. Recurrent concerns expressed by parents prompted investigation into the frequency of sleep disturbances, such as snoring subsequent to the application of face garments, and the possibility of changes to the developing dentition. This preliminary study utilized a single case design to demonstrate the effectiveness of a bimaxillary mouthguard in circumventing such problems.