Helping Children Cope and Children with Special Healthcare Needs in Emergencies | Spanish

(2018, June) | Spanish | Useful to Parent Centers and other service organizations working with Spanish-speaking families to prepare for or recover from a natural disaster or other emergency.

These two resources comes from the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) and the Children’s Preparedness Unit and focus on helping parents, caregivers, and healthcare providers involved with children with special healthcare needs to prepare for or recover from a disaster. Both documents are available in English and Spanish (and as PDF files) at the links below.

Cómo ayudar a los niños a sobrellevar las emergencias

English version: Helping Children Cope with Emergencies

This resource discusses:

• the factors that influence the emotional impact that emergencies have on children;
• what parents and caregivers can do before, during, and after a disaster to support affected children;
• children’s common reactions (by age groups) following an emergency; and
• sources of additional help and information.

Los niños y jóvenes con necesidades especiales de atención médica durante emergencias

English version: Children and Youth with Special Healthcare Needs in Emergencies

All children have unique needs in emergencies, but care for children with special healthcare needs is often more complex because of their various health conditions and extra care requirements. This resource:

• discusses the importance of having a plan for dealing with emergencies;
• includes an emergency kit checklist for families;
• describes appropriate reactions from parents and caregivers before, during, and following an emergency situation or natural disaster; and
• provides a hefty list of additional resources to consult that are specific to helping children with special healthcare needs and their families prepare for and cope with a disaster.