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The Parent has the most important role in the recovery of their child’s burns, the long and scary days at the hospital to support their child. However, the rest of the family will be without one parent for many years of reconstruction surgeries.
Most families go through bankruptcy or huge financial and emotional trauma. Everyone in the circle of the child will be changed forever, hopefully for the better. Than just as soon as the child returns home to a different world, a stressful world of compression garments, public reaction, school rehabilitation, surgeries and emotional trauma begin.
Relationships and friendships are going to be difficult until the child can overcome the many obstacles of recovery. You must become the teacher, parents!! You need to learn to completely control your emotions about the way that the public will react to your child’s burns. Remember parents – you are their teachers. When your child receives negative reactions from anyone in public, help them learn how to respond without anger. Learn to say only positive reactions. In the beginning the parents should respond to the reaction and then discuss the interaction with the child. Parents, try to let your child slowly defend themselves. This will give them the confidence to take control of their own life experiences. This will build pride!
Next will be the many surgeries they must endure. And with that will be their continued education. Parents – the best chance your child will have after they leave the hospital is to return them back to the same school ASAP. Continue with their education during their hostpial stay. The parent must contact their child’s school ASAP so you can be sure that your child will not fall behind and be set back a grade.
Next – Parents must introduce a more spiritual belief in the child and family. Did you ever hear that beauty is skin deep? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder? Try to search for support in your community, church, burn support organizations, burn camps, other burned survivors, athletics, girl scouts, boy scouts, band, drawing, etc. Involve them in life! No indoor activities or they will close down and hide from the world!
The Burned Children Recovery Foundation has been helping burned children and their families since 1990 and has assisted over 79,000 children from the nightmare caused from burn injuries. For assistance you can call our toll free burn support line at 1-800-799-BURN.
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