Table 2 Results of the qualitative studies

Coombes 2020, Australia

Range = < 16 years

N = 18 families (59 family members)

Inclusion criteria:

Indigenous families with children younger than 16 years old.

Children had sustained a burn injury.

Qualitative, Cohort study

Qualitative experiences of trauma

2–3 years.

Participants felt that there was no recognition or treatment for the psychological effects resulting from the injury for the child, or the one who caused the injury, or the family. A family experienced trauma through the removal of a sibling of the injured child to welfare other families were traumatised by fear of their child being removed.

Egberts, 2018

The Netherlands

Range = 12–17 years

N = 8

Inclusion criteria: children had been hospitalized for a burn injury in one of the three Dutch burn centers for a minimum of 24 h and had undergone at least one wound care procedure.

Qualitative cohort study

Qualitative reflection on injury, hospitalisation and their coping.

7 months.

Participants reported three overarching themes; vivid memories, importance of parental support, and psychosocial impact and coping. Children’s vivid memories included experiencing the accident, the look of the wounds and scars, pain, and positive memories of their hospital experience. Children often preferred their parent’s presence because it made them feel safe, although children also reported parental presence was not always necessary or parents did not have to be present all the time. The majority of children reported to have adjusted well to the injury, however there were two type of concerns; concern it might happen again and the reactions of others. And finally, children found it helpful to process the trauma by gradual exposure and putting the injury into perspective. They also reported focussing on positive outcomes. Some children also reported avoiding places and objects that reminded them of the accident.

Horridge 2010, United Kingdom

Range = 8–15 years

N = 9

Inclusion criteria:

Parents with children who have experienced burns.

Qualitative cohort study

Parent perception of child psychological functioning

X = 681 days

Range: 339–893 days

Parents reported that seeing their children respond to their injury with stress reactions, including disturbed sleep, heightened anxiety, and depression.

McGarry 2014, Australia

Range = 8–15 years

N = 12

Inclusion criteria:

Children who sustained a burn injury which required surgery.

All children had been patients at PCH.

Qualitative cohort study

Ongoing recurrent trauma; returning to normal activities; behavioural changes; scarring- the permanent reminder

6 months

Themes; the initial trauma: sustaining the burn (All children described feeling “scared”, “worried” and “afraid” at the time of the accident. Children feared they would “die” or “lose a limb”, ongoing paediatric medical trauma (medical events causing further trauma included surgery and dressing changes), return to normal activities (children felt a loss of independence, catastrophic thoughts, upset and disappointed they couldn’t participate in sport), scarring - the permanent reminder (children not wanting to look at or touch their scars, only showing scars to trusted friends, being happy to see improvement in scars, being disappointed they had to wear pressure garments).

Children describe experiencing symptoms of acute stress disorder, avoidance, hypervigilance, internalising symptoms, and positive adaption.