POSITO

Posttraumatic stress symptoms and health-related quality of life in infants and toddlers after invasive medical procedures - A study of children with burns and cancer.

Posttraumatische Belastungssymptome und gesundheitsbezogene Lebensqualität bei Säuglingen und Kleinkindern nach invasiven medizinischen Behandlungen. Eine Studie am Beispiel brandverletzter und krebskranker Kinder.

Summary

Infants and toddlers suffering from severe injuries and illnesses are treated in children’s hospitals in great numbers. Treatment involves invasive, painful medical procedures and long lasting hospitalisations. Examples are the treatment of burn injuries and cancer. Although the physical aspects of injuries and illnesses are critically important, the psychosocial impact is equally so. Previous studies of psychological adjustment and health-related quality of life in pediatric patients have two important limitations. First, there is almost nothing known about adjustment and quality of life of children under the age of 4 years. Second, there are no published studies on the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children undergoing invasive medical procedures although there are distinct reasons to suggest that these children may exhibit remarkable rates of PTSD.

The aim of this study is twofold. First, PTSD and quality of life in infants and toddlers with burn injuries and cancer shall be assessed. Second, injury- and treatment-related, child, and family-related determinants of PTSD and quality of life shall be examined.

Data on psychosocial outcome of severe injuries and illnesses are of utmost relevance, even more in times of molecular medicine. The assessment of both health-related quality of life and posttraumatic stress symptomatology will allow a detailed and broad description of psychosocial outcome after burn injuries and cancer in this very young group of children. Also, the systematic assessment of PTSD symptoms at this early age will add significant knowledge to the conceptualization and validation of PTSD in infants and toddlers. Analysis of a broad range of medical and psychosocial predictor variables will help identify more accurately those patients with a higher risk of an unfavourable outcome at an early point.

Project Leadership and Contacts

Prof. Dr. phil. Markus A. Landolt
markus.landoltkispi.uzh.ch

Prof. Dr. med. Martin Meuli
martin.meulikispi.uzh.ch

Prof. Dr. med. Felix Niggli
felix.nigglikispi.uzh.ch

lic. phil. Anna Graf
anna.grafkispi.uzh.ch

Funding Sources

Swiss Cancer League, Claus Cramer Stiftung, Hermann-Klaus-Stiftung

Duration of Project

December 2005 – March 2009

Publications

Abstracts

• Graf, A., Schiestl, C.M., Landolt, M.A. (2007). Posttraumatische Belastungsstörungen bei Säuglingen und Kleinkindern nach Brandverletzungen. 9. Jahrestagung der deutschsprachigen Gesellschaft für Psychotraumatologie (DeGPT).
• Graf, A., Schiestl, C.M., Landolt, M.A. (2008). Posttraumatische Belastungsstörungen und Verhaltensauffälligkeiten bei Säuglingen und Kleinkindern mit Krebs. 10. Jahrestagung der deutschsprachigen Gesellschaft für Psychotraumatologie (DeGPT). 
• Graf, A., Schiestl., C., Landolt, M.A. (2008). Posttraumatic stress disorder and quality of life in infants and toddlers with burns. 5th World Congress of European Club for Pediatric Burns.
• Graf, A., Schiestl., C., Bergstraesser, E., Landolt, M.A. (2009). Posttraumatic stress in infants and toddlers after invasive medical procedures. 11th European Conference of Traumatic Stress (ECOTS).
• Graf, A., Schiestl., C., Landolt, M.A. (2009). Posttraumatic stress disorder and quality of life in infants and toddlers with burns. European Club for Pediatric Burns. 13th European Burns Association Congress.

Articles

• Graf, A., Irblich, D., Landolt, M.A. (2008). Posttraumatische Belastungsstörungen bei Säuglingen und Kleinkindern. Praxis der Kinderpsychologie und Kinderpsychiatrie, 57(4), 247-263.  
• Graf, A., Schiestl., C., Landolt, M.A. (2011). Posttraumatic Stress and Behavior Problems in Infants and Toddlers with Burns. Journal of Pediatric Psychology (in press).