Improving Disaster Preparedness for Children: A 75-Year Review in Pediatrics

• 2023

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• Shana Godfred-Cato; Sarita Chung; Steven Krug

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About

This article reviews 75 years of efforts to improve disaster preparedness for children. It describes how the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has worked to ensure children's safety during disasters, especially after events like Hurricane Katrina. The AAP created councils and published guides to help families and hospitals prepare for emergencies. The focus is on keeping children safe, reuniting them with families, and addressing their mental health needs after disasters. Hospitals are encouraged to have plans in place for caring for unaccompanied children and working with community partners during emergencies.

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Tags

Focus Areas: CBRNE; Everyday Emergency; Natural Disasters; Violence

Audiences: Emergency Managers; Physicians; Public Health Professionals

Emergency Management Stage: Preparedness (Prevention / Protection)

Keywords: Child Health Services; Disaster Planning; Natural Disasters; Pediatrics; Pediatricians

Institutions: American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP); Pediatric Pandemic Network (PPN)

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More like this

Prioritization of Pediatric Chemical, Biological, Radiologic, Nuclear, and Explosive Disaster Preparedness Education and Training Needs 2014 · National Institutes of Health (NIH), Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Healthcare Network of Southwest Florida, American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health (NCDMPH) Pediatric Pandemic Network Disaster Cycle 2025 · Pediatric Pandemic Network (PPN) Ensuring the Health of Children in Disasters 2015 · American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)

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