Prioritizing Pediatric Preparedness During National Preparedness Month

September is National Preparedness Month – a time to ensure your family, patients, and communities are ready for emergencies. 

Kids have unique needs during disasters, and it’s important they’re included in every step of planning and response. Whether you’re creating a family emergency plan, preparing your hospital for pediatric patients, or simply talking with kids about what to expect, their voices and needs matter. 

As part of the Pediatric Pandemic Network’s commitment to supporting health care providers, families, and communities in strengthening pediatric readiness for disasters, emergencies, and pandemics, we’ve compiled a collection of trusted resources. This list includes both materials developed by our network of hub sites and carefully vetted tools from other reputable sources – all designed to help you stay informed, prepared, and ready to respond.

Why pediatric preparedness matters

Children and adolescents make up 22-23% of the United States population but are often not well incorporated into disaster preparedness efforts. Kids are not just small adults; they have unique needs when it comes to disasters.  Research shows children and teens under 18 are more vulnerable than other demographics to both acute and, long-lasting impacts after disasters.  

Five ways children experience unique and often more severe effects during emergencies and disasters:

1. Physical Vulnerability to Environmental Hazards
   Children are more susceptible to harm from smoke, chemicals, and radiation due to their developing bodies, thinner skin, and proximity to the ground – where toxic substances may be more concentrated. 
2. Increased Risk of Hypothermia
   Children lose body heat more quickly than adults, putting them at higher risk of hypothermia during decontamination, outdoor exposure, or in poorly controlled environments – even in healthcare settings. 
3. Higher Likelihood of Serious Injury and Shock
   Due to smaller blood volume and body size, children are more prone to shock and severe injury from blasts or trauma. Their unique body proportions also make head injuries more likely. 
4. Developmental Limitations in Emergencies
   Young children may lack the cognitive skills, physical ability, or emotional capacity to respond appropriately during a disaster. They may not understand danger, be able to evacuate, or follow instructions from unfamiliar emergency personnel. 
5. Need for Specialized Medical Resources
   Pediatric care requires a wide range of age- and size-appropriate equipment, medications, and supplies. Without preparation, healthcare facilities may struggle to meet these specific needs during a crisis. 

In addition to the ways in which children are more vulnerable during disasters, there are also lasting impacts to kids:  

Changes to physical health: Studies have shown that children who experienced a natural disaster had an increased chance of acute illnesses (diarrhea, fever, respiratory problems). 

Mental health impacts: As many as 50% of children say they have experienced post-traumatic stress, depression symptoms, anxiety, and other related issues after a disaster. 

Negative impacts to school attendance and learning: During disasters, many schools are forced to close, causing children to lose days or weeks of learning time. Some children exposed to trauma experience changes in brain function, affecting how well they can learn. 

Resources to Support Communities in Pediatric

References 

• Children in disasters (Seminars in Pediatric Surgery) 
• Clinical Considerations in Treating Children in Disasters (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) 
• Understanding the Impacts of Natural Disasters on Children (Society for Research in Child Development)