Children are often disproportionately impacted by disasters, and yet pediatric specific considerations are not properly emphasized during disaster planning and training, resulting in the desperate needs of children falling through the cracks during disasters. Children differ from adults developmentally, physiologically, and psychologically, and are more vulnerable to negative long-term medical, social, and behavioral outcomes. Additionally, children lack autonomy and rely on adults to gain access to the healthcare system and other resources. Despite the distinctions between adults and children, time and curricula for pediatric disaster training is insufficient, and workforce capacity and competency to plan for and respond to the disaster related needs of children are inadequate; this is especially true for both physicians and other healthcare responders who do not complete a specific pediatric residency. Our study seeks to determine the key core competencies of pediatric disaster medicine that should be included in the training of responders.

A systematic gray literature review of existing pediatric disaster medicine curricula was performed, from which a list of the most commonly present key core competencies was created.

Data collection and analysis is expected to be completed by April 2023 and will yield a ranked list of core competencies.

There is a need for improved pediatric disaster training that addresses the specific considerations of children; this is especially true for non-pediatricians who may be treating children following a disaster. The gray literature review will identify key components of pediatric disaster medicine, which should be applied to all such training curricula to ensure that the care of children who suffer during and after disasters is equitable across the globe.

Children differ from adults, developmentally, physiologically, and psychologically. Additionally, children lack legal agency, and thus rely on adults to gain access to the healthcare system and other resources. Though children are often the face of disaster relief, the desparate needs of children can fall through the cracks during disaster response. Many training programs for disaster responders do not give pediatric concerns and issues the appropriate attention they deserve. Pediatric disaster medicine is often minimally addressed in emergency medicine residencies and prehospital provider training. Furthermore, pediatric disaster supplies and protocols are often lacking and insufficient to meet the needs of children during and after disasters.

This is a modified Delphi study. An initial set of pediatric disaster medicine competencies from a systematic review of PubMed, EMBase and the gray literature will be presented to an initial group of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) comment, additions, and edits. This modified set of competencies will then be distributed to a large group of providers with experience in the field. Through a series of surveys, each competency in the curriculum will be rated. Those competencies which achieve a high overall rating will be reported.

Data collection and analysis expected to be completed by April 2023.

This modified Delphi study will establish and prioritize a set of core competencies for pediatric disaster response based on expert recommendations. The use of such gold standard core competencies to develop discipline-role-specific pediatric disaster training can increase pediatric disaster workforce capacity and competency critically needed to improve pediatric disaster response.