This is a part of the podcast series from the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center on Returning to School After Burn Injury. Cindy Rutter discusses what kinds of challenges children face when their burn scars are not visible. 

I think if you're returning to school and your scars are hidden, there's also potential issues that they face because the burns are hidden. But then in PE, if they have to dress out, that it can be overwhelming for them as far as, you know, just changing and kids seeing their burns. And it puts them in just a different situation. So I think hidden burns are equally as important that we go and do school reentry and just speak to that fact that you may not see their burns at all, but this is what they went through and this is, you know, some of the challenges so that the school is still educated that this child has sustained a burn injury and although it's hidden when their clothes are on, when they get undressed for PE, it can be incredibly uncomfortable. And just making sure that we still teach the school and the children, you know, about this individual's burn injury.  

When children are going through more surgeries and reconstruction, I do think it's important that the school understand what they're going through. A lot of times because the scar is healed, then everybody thinks everything's fine. And, you know, granted children are incredibly resilient. We want them to get back into activities and sports and do what they need to do. But we also need to be aware that it may take time for them to reach that, you know, point where they're completely comfortable doing it. The fact of, you know, contractures as you grow things stretch, making sure that the child and the parents are educated to those challenges.

Visit https://msktc.org/burn and get the answers you need from experts who conduct innovative and high-quality research, provide patient care, and work to improve the health and overall quality of life for people with burn injury. That’s https://msktc.org/burn.