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AAP News Vol. 13 No. 9 September 1997, p. 3 © 1997 American Academy of Pediatrics
Children who have had emergency intubationand their families should be evaluated for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a Denver review of three cases suggested. Children can remain conscious during intubation and often experience respiratory arrest, feelings of asphyxiation, fear of death, and a prolonged stay in the ICU, researchers stated. It is important to recognize lasting effects on the child and parents, the study stated. Researchers reviewed three cases of children who had emergency intubation and found all three subjects, as well as some of their family members, exhibited symptoms of trauma, hyperarousal, and avoidance of thoughts or feelings related to intubation.
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