therapeutic storytelling for body image disturbance in pediatric patient with burn injury: a case report

The psychological trauma caused by childhood burn injuries can have long-lasting effects into adulthood. social and emotional challenges during childhood and adolescence may lead to persistent anxiety, fear of social rejection, and diminished self-confidence. among the common psychological sequelae in pediatric burn survivors is body image disturbance. we report the case of a 12-year-old boy with 7% severe burns on the right leg caused by hot oil, complicated by sepsis, hyponatremia, and malnutrition. as discharge approached, he developed anxiety and shame regarding his scar, refusing both to view it himself and to allow medical staff to examine it. psychiatric assessment indicated symptoms consistent with adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressive mood. therapeutic storytelling, using the patient’s favourite superhero, was introduced to help reframe his perception of the scar from a source of embarrassment to a symbol of resilience. a short-term course of clobazam was prescribed as an adjunct to psychotherapy to relieve acute anxiety and sleep disturbances. progress was monitored through clinical observation and a simple numeric anxiety rating scale, which showed improvement over time. the patient subsequently became more cooperative with physiotherapy, voluntarily returned to school, and readjusted successfully to his peers. this case highlights therapeutic storytelling as a potentially effective intervention for addressing body image disturbances in pediatric burn patients when combined with supportive psychotherapy, family education, and short-term pharmacological support.