This is a part of the podcast series from the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center on Returning to School After Burn Injury. Hait Yenikomshian discusses the use of pressure garments and returning to school after burn injury. 

After burn injury, sometimes scars can get really thick; and when that happens, we can use pressure garments on different parts of the body to make the scars softer and thinner. But the problem with that is that you have to typically wear them around 23 hours a day. We get these custom-fitted by our occupational therapists, and then the child can wear this when they go to school. And sometimes we put silicone in it to make the scars less dry and less itchy for the patients as well.

Pressure garments can be difficult at school, especially when it's hot outside or during physical education. Children really get annoyed by how irritating that can be. We try to advise parents to put on pressure garments before they go to school and leave them on during the day. And then that way it's just easier for everyone involved.

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.