Transitional care for individuals injured by burns, paediatric (COBIS)

The transition between childhood and adulthood is recognised to be a challenging time for all individuals. For patients with lifelong conditions such as diabetes and epilepsy, good communication between health care professionals, and patient involvement, participation and co-operation is known to be associated with better health outcomes.

Many burn injured individuals will sail through adolescence with no more issues than the average person. However, it is recognised that some who injure themselves during adolescence, or who bare the scars from childhood injury, may develop specific issues which may be ameliorated by careful consideration and intervention by health care professionals and by voluntary sector organisations involved in burn care support.

Issues which may develop during this transitional phase in life may pertain to interactions with health services. However, issues and difficulties may also develop which relate to interaction with the wider community particularly if post burn scarring is associated with disability of perceived deformity.

In this guideline recommendations are made which may alleviate patient’s difficulties both in their experience of hospitals but also their wider experience in the community.