The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has come up with a new policy statement that puts emphasis on providing for the needs of kids during disasters.
In a report published on Health Day, disaster events refer to situations like natural calamities, terrorist attacks, outbreaks of diseases and industrial accidents. The AAP statement particularly pointed out four key points as to why children must be given focus in these incidents:
- A child's size, body mass and skin are more susceptible to harm from debris, smoke and environmental hazards than adults.
- Younger children, whose bodies are still developing, are likely to bear more negative effects when exposed to radiation and carcinogens.
- The children may not understand what is going on around them during a disaster, which could lead to psychological problems.
- Medical supplies and equipment for children, including infants, are not always immediately available.
According to another AAP publication, disaster plans geared for children have been initially set in place by the agency as early as 2007 and the organization has been disseminating information about this in federals and states and among local pediatricians. But there is more to be done as many hospitals in the United States still do not have any disaster plans in place for kids, according to Med Scape. On the hand, families must also make sure that their kids are equipped to deal with disasters. After all, safety must always start at home.
Below are some 5 disaster preparedness tips that families should keep in mind:
1.) Sit down with the children and come up with a disaster plan as a family. Discuss the particulars, such as what they must do or who they should contact and let them be involved in making the preparations so that they will become familiar with emergencies, according to the CDC.
2.) Families must always have a disaster kit on standby. For a guide on how to build a kit, check with Ready.Gov from FEMA.
3.) Practice some routines and drills at home so that kids will learn to beef up their response time. This should also help ease their fears down. According to Red Cross, kids' imagination can run wild with fear, but it is important to show them what may realistically happen in the event of a disaster.
4.) Let the older children attend preparedness classes or first aid classes in your area if there are any. FEMA actually promotes this in schools.
5.) Raise awareness among your kids watching the news or reading up on current events.
