Published online September 1, 2006
PEDIATRICS Vol. 118 No. 3 September 2006, pp. 1267-1278 (doi:10.1542/peds.2006-1700)
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POLICY STATEMENT

Chemical-Biological Terrorism and Its Impact on Children

Committee on Environmental Health and Committee on Infectious Diseases

Children remain potential victims of chemical or biological terrorism. In recent years, children have even been specific targets of terrorist acts. Consequently, it is necessary to address the needs that children would face after a terrorist incident. A broad range of public health initiatives have occurred since September 11, 2001. Although the needs of children have been addressed in many of them, in many cases, these initiatives have been inadequate in ensuring the protection of children. In addition, public health and health care system preparedness for terrorism has been broadened to the so-called all-hazards approach, in which response plans for terrorism are blended with plans for a public health or health care system response to unintentional disasters (eg, natural events such as earthquakes or pandemic flu or manmade catastrophes such as a hazardous-materials spill). In response to new principles and programs that have appeared over the last 5 years, this policy statement provides an update of the 2000 policy statement. The roles of both the pediatrician and public health agencies continue to be emphasized; only a coordinated effort by pediatricians and public health can ensure that the needs of children, including emergency protocols in schools or child care centers, decontamination protocols, and mental health interventions, will be successful.

Key Words: chemical terrorism • biological terrorism • emergency preparedness

Abbreviations: AAP—American Academy of Pediatrics • PPE—personal protective equipment • CDC—Centers for Disease Control and Prevention • SNS—Strategic National Stockpile • CHC—community health center • DMAT—disaster medical assistance team • CISD—critical incident stress debriefing


The following policy statement has been revised:

Chemical-Biological Terrorism and Its Impact on Children: A Subject Review

Pediatrics 105: 662-670. [Full Text]