Disaster Management and Emergency Preparedness for Children and Youth With Special Health Care Needs

The aim of this article is to discuss key aspects of the assessment and management of multiple children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) in a mass casualty scenario, from prehospital to emergency department nursing and physician perspectives. We aim to highlight why CYSHCN are at increased risk for poor outcomes during disaster events and the importance of developing and maintaining an updated emergency information form along with early identification and thoughtful community disaster preparedness for CYSHCN, who are our most vulnerable patients when emergency resources are stressed or stretched beyond normal capacity.