A burn injury is a traumatic experience for everyone, it doesn’t affect the person who was exposed to a burn injury alone but affects everyone around him/her. For children it’s even harder for them to adapt to their new life as their experience in life is limited. For parents, there are ways to deal with the child that will help both the child and the parents.
The parent of a burned child must be careful to take care of himself/herself so that you can continue to take care of their child. Children look up to their parents and the way they handle the situation will affect the child progress. Don’t force your child to do things that he/she doesn’t want to do. Try to set small goals, take one step at a time, as your child achieve these small goals, they will build confidence. Always encourage your child no matter how minor the thing he/she has done. Make your child feel independent. Your child has been exposed to a trauma and a regression in his behavior may be noticed such as wetting the bed in a previously trained child. You have to be patient it is expected after a burn injury to have changes in behavior. Don’t show guilt feelings and don’t treat your child as a victim. Engage in conversations with your child; try to understand how he /she feels and what is bothering them. Tell your child how you feel. Make your child feel that he/she is normal and encourage him/her to express their feelings and opinions. Show your child love and support. Contact your child’s teacher and make the school know what your child has gone through, this will help them to understand and help your child. Engage your child with children that have been exposed to similar experiences as they can learn from each other and help each other. These children can be found in burn camps and support groups. There are support groups for parents as well. If you think that you need help then seek the help of others as well as seeking help and advice from a proficiently qualified person.
This information is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice; it should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. Call 911 for all medical emergencies.