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Extinguishing the Fires Within By Kathleen J. Dundee, R.N., C.N.N. Mrs. Smith*, a school nurse, notices a burned toilet tissue holder in the boys’ lavatory sink. She remembers the janitor mentioning a partially burned book found two days ago in the basement. The kitchen aide tells her about a dumpster fire one block from school a week ago and that eight-year-old Kevin was seen in the area. Mrs. Smith says that would have been the route Kevin takes home, but recently he and his mother moved in with his grandmother, following his parents’ separation. Kevin’s teacher, Mr. Mann, reports to Kevin's mother that he seems distracted and “fidgety” in class. She acknowledges her son’s distractions and attributes them to her recent separation. “It will take time,” she says. Before the conversation ends, however, she recalls the fringe on her bathroom towel had been singed. She also remembers that one of Kevin’s action figures had been burned. That weekend, she discusses the matter with her estranged husband. He says that all young boys play with matches and she should not worry. Besides, he tells her, there is nothing they can do except wait for him to “outgrow it.” He adds that he has to work and can’t pick Kevin up this weekend. Four days later, in the early morning hours, fire officials respond to a school fire in an empty box under the stage in the auditorium. Later that same day, a small fire is discovered in a locker. A student tells a teacher he saw Kevin with a lighter. Not long ago, minimal assistance was available to a child like Kevin. Possibly he would have been referred to the local fire department for “a good talking to,” but not until his actions resulted in significant property damage, injury or death would he have received any intervention––most likely initiated through the juvenile justice system. According to 1998 data from the National Fire Protection Agency: · Juveniles are responsible for 55% of intentionally set fires. · 48% of school fires are reported suspicious, with16% started in lavatories or lockers. · Arson accounts for greater than 50% of all juvenile arrests. · Playing with fire is the leading cause of death in residential fires for young children nationwide. As a nurse and educator with The Burn Center at Saint Barnabas, I witness these statistics firsthand but needed to understand why they were occurring. Although we have a well-established repertoire of statewide safety and educational programs, none of them addressed this particular issue. This led us to the development of our FireNETProgram. FireNETis a hospital-based program designed for youngsters between 3 and 17 years of age who are determined to be “at risk.” A child psychiatrist, counselors and a burn nurse all educated by nationally recognized experts in the field of juvenile fire-setting comprise our FireNET team. Together, they provide comprehensive mental health and fire-specific screenings, family counseling and fire education. Referrals are made by parents, schools, social services, fire service and law enforcement. What makes this program unique is the ability to assess fire-play behavior and, more significantly, to develop treatment recommendations pertinent to underlying causes. It is vitally important to understand children’s behavior before we can attempt to change it! In a recent review of over 200 referrals, some common themes about children and fire-play have emerged: · Children gravitate to fire because they like the way it makes them feel. · Children are fascinated by fire’s movement and colors. · Fire gives a sense of warmth and security, especially to a loner. · Lighting and extinguishing fires provides a sense of control. · Fire is a way to remove a problem or cover up a traumatic experience. · There is a lack of supervision and knowledge about fire's consequences. · In the child’s mind, setting fire resolves conflict. Fear, anxiety, depression, anger and curiosity may lead a child to strike a match or flick a lighter. For these reasons, a child like Kevin needs to be referred to a program such as FireNETÒ. Through such programs, he will receive intense therapy with a counselor and be encouraged to express his concerns following his parents’ separation, his fears of being different in school and sadness about having to move. Utilizing play and art therapy, Kevin will learn new ways other than fire to express his anger and frustration. Parents often discover a depth of emotion in their child of which they we previously unaware. Through our work with children such as Kevin, we have come to understand there is a strong correlation between a child’s impulsiveness, his sensitivity to psychosocial stressors and the likelihood of being attracted to fire-play activity. Ignoring this fact will not make the problem go away. What is Fire Play? Health professionals have coined the term to define a range of activities involoving experimentation with fire. The following are common observations associated with children who engage in fire-play. · Burned papers in wastebaskets or sinks · Matches or lighters hidden in a child’s room or closet · An unexplained fire incident in your school, home or community · Burned holes in couches, rugs, mattresses, clothes, towels · Burned grass stains outside near a garage, vacant buildings or under porches Such signs point toward a child who may be in need of help. For assistance or additional information, please call The Burn Center at Saint Barnabas at (973) 322-5682. *All names in this true scenario have been changed to protect the privacy of this patient. [ top ] |
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