Caring for Children After a Radiological Disaster

•Children require specialized treatment during response to large-scale radiation events.•Screening, decontamination, and treatment must be tailored to the needs of children.•Medical countermeasures must be made available for children of all ages.•Providers must understand their role in responding to radiation disasters affecting children.

Children require specialized treatment that differs from adults in nearly every field of medicine, particularly as it relates to emergency response to a large-scale radiation event. Infancy, childhood, and adolescence are distinct stages of growth and development that pose unique vulnerabilities, biological variations, physiological differences, and developmental needs. Screening, decontamination, treatment strategies, and the use of medical countermeasures must occur with respect for these differences. Responding to radiation disasters that impact children requires rapid evaluation and response by health care providers who are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to appropriately address the physical, emotional, and mental health needs of children.