Hospital and Disaster Preparedness in Children

Abstract

The frequency of natural disasters occurring throughout the world has been increasing recently. Earthquakes are one of the serious natural disasters which are almost impossible to predict. Manmade or terrorist-initiated disasters are happened. The victims of disasters or mass casualty incidents are both children and adult that required the proper triage. Disaster preparedness and mitigation are appropriate strategies to reduce vulnerability from disaster. Children have unique physical, emotional, and developmental that they are a vulnerable population during disasters. Pediatric disaster preparedness or emergency management should have to plan, prepare, practice, and partner or network that hospital system need to meet the demands of children. These demands include health care, mental health, family reunification, and specialized treatment.

Keywords

• children
• preparedness
• disaster