714 - Life After Trauma: Acute Stress Disorder and Resiliency in Pediatric Trauma Patients

Poster Number: 714
Publication Number: 714.328

Katherine E. Guess, Baylor College of Medicine, Richmond, TX, United States; Kristi Murphy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States; Elena Corina Andriescu, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States; Brent S. Waibel, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States; Erin B. Henkel, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States

Background: As many as 25% of children experience a traumatic event by the age of 16. For many children, readjusting to life after trauma may become overwhelming and many children develop Acute Stress Disorder (ASD). ASD develops within the first month following a traumatic exposure and manifests as nightmares, flashbacks, avoidance of reminders of the trauma, anxiety, sleep disturbance, guilt, or difficulty concentrating. Up to 25% of children who are diagnosed with ASD will go on to develop PTSD. It is understood that both trauma patients who are admitted to the hospital and those that are discharged directly from the emergency department (ED) are at risk to develop these disorders, but the rates of ASD have not been compared in these populations. 

Objective: In this prospective cohort study, we aimed to determine the rates of ASD in trauma patients admitted to the hospital and those discharged directly from the ED after experiencing a traumatic event. We also aimed to determine the resiliency levels and social vulnerability index scores in these populations.

Design/Methods: A convenience sample of 266 English- and Spanish-speaking children ages 7-18 years who presented to a large, urban pediatric Level I trauma center after involvement in an unintentional traumatic event were recruited for participation in this prospective study. Between days 21-30 following their trauma, the parent/guardian and child were contacted via telephone, and the child was screened for ASD using the Acute Stress Checklist for Children (ASC-Kids) screening tool. The Child & Youth Resilience Measure-Revised (CYRM-R) was also administered to measure resiliency scores. Patient demographic and injury information were also collected. Data collection began in July 2021 and concluded in January 2023.

Results: Based on preliminary data collection, 18.4% of children met criteria for diagnosis of ASD. All data collection and statistical analysis will be complete in February 2023. All children who screened positive for ASD were referred to psychology.

Conclusion(s): Unintentional injury remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children and increases a child’s risk to develop ASD. An understanding of the factors that influence the development of ASD in children will help healthcare providers develop targeted strategies to address these factors and potentially influence the development of the disorder.