Laura Palma MS¹, Janae Rasmussen DO^2,, Anjali Malhotra MPH¹, Carolina Benitez MS¹, Karen Gonzalez MS¹, Jesse Davis BS³, Elena Myalo BS⁴

Gunshot-related injuries are increasingly prevalent and a leading cause of mortality in the pediatric population. The mental health considerations of gunshot-related fractures in pediatric patients are becoming increasingly recognized as the trauma extends beyond physical injuries. This literature review examines mental health considerations and interventions with both short-term and long-term implications of gunshot-related fractures in orthopedic pediatric patients. As gunshot-related injuries in pediatric patients continue to rise, it is important that orthopedic surgeons are informed of evidence-based management for both the physical and mental health-related sequelae. This review highlights the limitations in this field of research with the need for improved guidelines that orthopedic surgeons can implement regardless of their practice location. Evidence-based guidelines for the treatment of gunshot-related mental health sequelae in the pediatric population has limited research, but cognitive behavioral therapy and some pharmacotherapies can be helpful, especially with early initiation of treatment. Orthopedic surgeons are often one of the first treating physicians in these patients, so they can have a significant role in recognizing and referring these pediatric patients to resources for their mental health.

gunshot violence, pediatric fractures, pediatric orthopedics, pediatric mental health, pediatric trauma