PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH ACUTE PHYSICAL INJURY - AFTER THE PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

Millions of children each year are treated for acute physical injuries in the United Stares. Many of these youth have pre-existing emotional or behavioral difficulties and many develop negative mental health se quelae from the injury event. Coordinated care from the time of injury on is necessary to provide support, information, and education to fam ilies of injured children as well as to identify at-risk youth to deve lop targeted interventions. This article reviews the types of traumati c injury that children experience, the ways in which these events can affect children and families, and highlights clinical interventions th at are useful with this population.