Pediatric Aspects of Emergency Preparedness

Whether of terrorist or natural origins, limited attention has been paid to the needs of children during large-scale public health emergencies. Schools, in particular, are ill-prepared for their position at the front lines of children's health. Michael Shannon, MD, MPH, chief of emergency medicine at Children's Hospital Boston and director of its Center for Biopreparedness, is available to discuss:

• Why children are at especially high risk after exposure to chemical or biological agents. For example, Shannon notes, children breathe faster, increasing their exposure to agents; they are less resistant to fluid loss and hypothermia; they often lack self-preservation skills; and they are more likely to develop post-traumatic stress. "Children don't carry wallets, and they may not be able to tell you who they are," Shannon adds.

• The unique demands of treating children in a terrorism situation. Tiny babies, for example, are difficult for clinicians wearing cumbersome protective equipment to treat. "It's terrifying when you've lost your dexterity and have to care for someone so small," Shannon says.

• The use of sophisticated, real-time surveillance techniques to detect and tract infectious outbreaks among children.

• Special logistical concerns for hospitals.

• Possible approaches to a regionally-coordinated pediatric bioterrorism response.

Children's Hospital Boston