Since America's 70 million children are likely to be among the most vulnerable members of society in the event of a terrorist attack, experts at Case Western Reserve University and Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital will offer a training course in December to educate "first responders" about children's unique physical, mental and emotional needs.

According to a report released in June by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), little has been done since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, to safeguard the health and well being of children.

"While concerns about the threat of biological and chemical terrorism have translated into a number of new measures to improve general safety and domestic disaster preparedness, these new measures are almost entirely geared toward the needs of the adult population," said Case and Rainbow pediatrician Karen N. Olness, who serves on the academy's disaster management task force. "They do not adequately address the very different needs of children in disaster situations."

The course, Disaster Management: Helping Ohio's Children, will meet December 1 through 5 at Cleveland HealthSpace, (the new name of the Cleveland Health Museum) at Euclid Avenue and East 90th Street. The course will provide specialized training in disaster response to health care workers, city and school officials, emergency personnel and professionals working in children's organizations.

The program will cover triage and children, water and sanitation, immunizations, food and shelter, stress issues, guidelines for parents, child injuries, safety, chemical terrorism, radiation and death and bereavement.

The course will be taught in collaboration with the Cuyahoga Division of Emergency Services, the Red Cross and local boards of health. Instructors will include Rainbow pediatricians, Case faculty members and other local experts in health, psychology, education, media, public safety, emergency response and sanitation.

"Children are not simply 'little adults,'" Olness said. "The sensitive nature of their developing minds and bodies places them at disproportionate risk. They are more vulnerable than adults to biological, chemical or radiological agents. Their nutritional needs are greater than those of adults. They are unable to sustain any significant amount of blood loss.

"Just as important, in stressful situations and when faced with danger, children cannot be expected to make appropriate or even reasonable decisions," she continued. "Children also have unique treatment needs. They require different sized equipment, such as smaller needles or oxygen masks, and different dosages of medication. Therefore, children in disasters must have priority access to immediate and specific care."

Rainbow has long been an international leader in providing child-focused training to prepare health care professionals to respond to the special needs of children in disasters. Through the Rainbow Center for International Child Health, Olness developed a disaster management course in 1995 focused specifically on the needs of children. This course has since been translated into four languages and taught in Thailand, Pakistan, Ethiopia, India and Nicaragua.

The September 11 terrorist attacks underscored the need for a domestic version of the course, she said.

Space is limited. For more information, contact Felicite Katz, program manager, Case School of Medicine, Office of Continuing Education at 368-1054.

Return to the online edition of the 10-2-03 Campus News.