Psychological Long-Term Adjustment in Children with Head Burns

OBJECTIVE:To determine psychological adjustment of children after head burns. METHODS:One hundred four children and adolescents between the ages of 5 and 17 years were assessed with the Child Behavior Checklist 1 to 13 years after burn. Mean total body surface area burned was 18%. According to burn localization, patients were classified into two groups: patients with head burns versus patients with burns of other areas. RESULTS:Psychological adjustment as measured by the broad- and narrow-band scales of the Child Behavior Checklist was normal in both samples of burned patients. CONCLUSION:This study failed to find any specific psychological problems in survivors of pediatric head burns