Document Type

Presentation

Publication Date

4-10-2026

Faculty Mentor

Roxanna Bendixen

Abstract

Objective:

Pediatric burn injuries affect physical recovery, emotional well-being, social participation, and school reintegration. Mental health needs are often under-addressed, particularly for caregivers and educators supporting children post-injury. Pediatric burn patients are three times more likely to develop psychiatric conditions than uninjured individuals, with disorders such as PTSD emerging years after the injury (Duke et al., 2018). The purpose of this project was to address gaps in mental health support and resources for pediatric burn survivors and their support systems.

Methods:

A mixed-methods approach was used through a pre-survey and interviews with burn care team members. The pre-survey was distributed to caregivers of pediatric burn survivors, reporting limited guidance with supporting emotional recovery in home and school. These results identified a need for a toolkit to address this gap in the current resources. Further data was gathered through clinical observations, stakeholder interviews, and interprofessional collaboration within a burn care setting. Following development of the mental health toolkit, a second survey was administered to burn care professionals and school educators to evaluate usability, relevance, and effectiveness of the resources.

Results:

Burn care professionals reported inconsistencies in addressing psychosocial needs and limited access to standardized educational materials, contributing to gaps in consistent emotional and psychological support for pediatric burn survivors. Following toolkit dissemination, feedback from healthcare providers and educators was overwhelmingly positive, with 70% indicating the resources would be helpful for pediatric burn survivors. Respondents highlighted the toolkit’s clarity, ease of use, and applicability across settings, supporting its value in improving consistency and access to psychosocial support.

Conclusion:

These findings reinforce the need for structured, accessible, and standardized mental health resources for pediatric burn survivors. The developed toolkit provides practical guidance for caregivers and educators to support emotional recovery and school reintegration. This project highlights the importance of integrating psychosocial care into burn rehabilitation and the role of occupational therapy in promoting holistic, client-centered outcomes.

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