Medical traumatic stress symptoms in pediatric patients on dialysis and their caregivers: a pilot study.

Research demonstrates that children undergoing burdensome and invasive treatments and their caregivers may experience medical traumatic stress. Pediatric patients on dialysis and caregivers were screened for medical traumatic stress using a modified version of a commonly used trauma symptom checklist. Many patients and caregivers indicated initiating dialysis was a traumatic experience. These preliminary findings underscore important, but often overlooked, patient and family experiences and offer the opportunity to enhance patient care and outcomes.