Parents and physicians involved in paediatric physical trauma need to be more familiar with post-traumatic behavioural reactions, according to a recent case study involving a four-year-old girl.

The study found that the girl, with a dog-bite related trauma, was admitted to Iraklion's University Hospital for surgical repair and intravenous antibiotic therapy due to extensive lesions. Exposure to the traumatic event triggered the onset of an unusual psychological response, selective mutism (inability to speak) and acute post-traumatic stress disorder.

Dog bites, fairly common in Crete, present an important public health problem and are a frequent cause of physical trauma in children.
The study found that physicians who manage paediatric trauma may not be vigilant of the high risk of psychological stress in children exposed to a physical injury.
 
Awareness of the potential development of such reactions can result in early detection and effective management of children at risk.