Burn Support Online : Separation anxiety

Parents and childrens reactions interact following burn injury. Frank separation anxiety was apparent in the mothers disregard for the needs of other family members. The anguish experienced by many mothers seemed to represent an identification with the child and an attempt to take over their suffering. The grieving, withdrawn mother mourns the loss of the intact child (replaced by a damaged and angry child) and anticipates the feared death of the injured child. There is also a grief for the loss of her own image as a good, loving mother, replaced now by her image of herself as harmful, bad and unworthy.xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Other emotional and psychological post-burn effects on the family were identified as crisis, control, commitment, and consequences.

The first phase (crisis) begins when the family member realizes that the child has been injured and exhibits behavioral disorganization consistent with feeling shock. The second phase (control) is trying to regain control of her life and the routines of daily living after the disruption of the burn injury.

In the third phase (commitment), the family member must decide whether or not to make a temporary, but possibly prolonged commitment to continuing the relationship with the patient in an altered form, through the childs recovery and rehabilitation.

In phase four (consequences), the family member has to negotiate a renewed relationship with the child that has the potential to meet the childs emotional, social and economic needs.

By Bronwen Jones and Charissa Bloomberg

Page Created By: Gary (admin) 08 July 2004 3:49pm
Page Last Modified: 23 July 2004 9:35am

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