[Psychological consulting of children awaiting leg amputation (author's transl)]

A 2.3 year old boy and a 3.7 year old girl, brother and sister, burnt their feet and calves during a bath tub accident. Both had to undergo amputation of their feet and lower thirds of their calves. For this, both needed psychological help. The body was less anxious and ready for confrontation with reality. The girl had to be guided through her denial and rejection of reality towards acceptance of the situation. Only then was she able to express fear and accept help. This practical playtherapeutical intervention could only take place on the basis of absolute trust. Time, empathy, adaptation to the children's state, age and personality and repetetive, active playing of the situation and the anxiety provoking future were necessary. Thus panic provoking anxiety could be diminished to realistic fear.