Pediatric Considerations in Disaster Settings: A Concise Guide to Advocating for Children's Needs

Man-made and natural disasters—including armed conflict, environmental catastrophes, forced displacements, and epidemics—affect thousands worldwide each year, causing loss of homes, livelihoods, and possessions. Complex humanitarian emergencies are increasing due to international conflict and civil war. The COVID-19 pandemic further underscored the need for efficient and equitable disaster responses, particularly for those in low- and middle-income countries.

Pediatric-specific considerations in disaster response, especially in humanitarian emergencies and resource-constrained settings already burdened by preventable illness and limited healthcare access, remain an often overlooked yet critical component. Children make up a disproportionately large percentage of disaster victims due to their developmental and physical vulnerabilities. Those with complex healthcare needs or disabilities are at even greater risk. The devastating consequences of gaps in preparedness and response have also been demonstrated in well-resourced settings, as seen with Hurricane Katrina.

Previous research has called for better training for medical trainees and disaster relief workers to improve pediatric disaster preparedness. Yet, programs specifically addressing children's needs are in short supply, and relief workers often lack the expertise to provide appropriate care. There is also a persistent gap in guidelines advocating for children’s unique needs in disaster settings. This book seeks to address these gaps.

Written by experts in the field, Pediatric Considerations in Disaster Settings is a multi-institutional, multi-author collaboration representing perspectives from around the globe. This book summarizes evidence-based guidelines and real-world experiences from professionals who have cared for children in disaster settings across various resource contexts. It addresses an urgent need for guidance in recent and ongoing conflicts and disasters, equips healthcare professionals and public health workers with the skills to collaborate effectively in disaster response, and educates readers on adapting interventions and advocacy strategies to meet children’s unique needs in any resource setting.

Dr. Lisa Umphrey is a US-trained pediatrician and an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. After completing her residency at the University of Wisconsin, she moved to rural eastern Uganda and worked with various small non-profits to provide pediatric care and build pediatric capacity in the region. In 2013 she created ATLAS International Inc, a US-based non-profit organization, to support global health partnerships between Ugandan and US colleagues. In 2013, she joined Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and completed several field missions before taking a headquarters position with MSF-France as Paediatric Advisor, overseeing pediatric and neonatal care in projects worldwide. She joined faculty at the University of Colorado in 2021 to come back closer to home, and she serves as a pediatric hospitalist, the Global Health Fellowship Director, the Global Health Pathway co-director for pediatric residents, and co-directs multiple courses on global health, underserved populations, and pediatric care in disaster settings.

Dr. Joe Wathen is a US-trained pediatric emergency physician and an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. After completing his residency at the University of Colorado, he obtained fellowship training in pediatric emergency medicine at the same institution.  He has been on faculty with the University of Colorado since 1998 working as an attending physician in the emergency department of the level 1 pediatric trauma hospital, Children’s Hospital of Colorado.  He joined efforts with Dr. Steve Berman to help conduct and modify the Pediatrics in Disaster course since 2011, conducting trainings in both US and international locations.  In addition, he has been involved with a US contingent of educators conducting educational symposiums and trainings in acute and emergency care in Hanoi, Vietnam.  He currently serves as co-director for pediatrics in disaster course as well as a senior investigator in the Center for Global Health at the University of Colorado. 

Dr. Celia Kariuki is a neonatologist practicing in Nairobi, Kenya. She studied at the University of Nairobi her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree (MBChB) and proceeded to work as a medical officer at Nyeri Provincial General Hospital. She then undertook her training in the Master of Medicine in Pediatrics and Child health degree program (MMed Paed) at the University of Nairobi. She worked as a pediatrician in the Pediatric Department of Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital, a public Level 5 county hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. She also served as the head of the Pediatrics department. She undertook her fellowship training in Neonatal- Perinatal Medicine at Western University, London, Ontario, Canada before returning to Kenya to practice. She is currently the head of newborn services at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital. Her areas of interest include neonatal nutrition, neonatal resuscitation, and Kangaroo Mother Care.