K.I.D.s is an acronym for “Kids in Disasters.” Children are special members of our society who present unique challenges in the throes of a disaster, be it natural, accidental, or intentional. Oftentimes, these challenges are neither recognized nor met by a community’s infrastructure at the time a disaster strikes.

To meet this challenge, ERRATA-LLC has developed a unique educational program that focuses on the preparation for and response to disasters from the perspective of the pediatric patient.

The K.I.D.s Program

I) The Pediatric Patient
             A) Unique vulnerabilities
                          a. Physical
                          b. Mental

II) Disaster Overview
             A) Disaster spectrum
                          a. Simple
                          b. Extended
                          c. Complex 
             B) Disaster Cycle
                          a. Mitigation
                          b. Preparedness
                          c. Impact
                          d. Response
                          e. Recovery
             C) Disaster types
                          a. Natural
                          b. Accidental
                          c. HAZMAT
                          d. Intentional
             D) Direct medical consequences to the pediatric patient
             E) Indirect medical consequences to the pediatric patient

III) Specific pediatric issues in disasters
             A) Decontamination
             B) Triage
                          a. Jump-START
             C) Trauma
                          a. Pediatric physiologic response to trauma
                          b. General stabilization measures
                          c. Crush Syndrome
             D) Infectious disease
                          a. Dehydration/rehydration issues
             E) Pediatric resource guidelines
             F) Mental health issues of the pediatric patient during a disaster
             G) Mitigation/preparedness strategies for your child
                          a. Home
                          b. School

IV) KIDs and Terrorism
A) The terrorist’s arsenal
a. Explosives
b. Chemical
c. Radiological
d. Biological
B) Explosives
a. Blast injury and the pediatric patient
C) Chemical terrorism and nuances in pediatric care
a. Vesicants
i. Mustards
ii. Lewisite
1. Pediatric antidote guidelines
b. Choking agents
i. Chlorine
ii. Phosgene
c. Nerve agents
i. Sarin, soman, tabun, etc.
ii. Organophosphate pesticides
1. Pediatric antidote guidelines
d. Blood agents (Cyanide)
i. Pediatric antidote guidelines
e. Incapacitating agents
i. BZ
1. Pediatric antidote guidelines
ii. Opioids
f. Riot control agents
D) Radiological catastrophes and the pediatric patient
a. Overview of the irradiated pediatric patient
b. Overview of the contaminated pediatric patient
c. Radiological incidents
i. Nuclear detonation/fallout
ii. Potassium iodide
1. Distribution priorities
iii. Radiological dirty bomb
1. Management strategies
E) Bioterrorism and the pediatric patient
a. Pediatric manifestations, treatment, and prophylaxis in
i. Anthrax
ii. Botulism
iii. T2-mycotoxins
iv. Plague
v. Ricin
vi. Smallpox
vii. Tularemia
viii. Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers
b. Bioterror as only one component of Emerging Infectious Diseases
c. Isolation/quarantine challenges in a mass casualty incident
i. Alternative care sites

1) It has been developed and taught by medical professionals with over forty years’ experience in Emergency Medicine and Disaster Medicine. In both of these worlds, the Project’s developers have been intimately involved with the emergency care of the pediatric patient. Dr. Rega is also Board-Certified in Pediatric Emergency Medicine.

2) These instructors, utilizing their experiential and research endeavors, have developed highly successful courses in disaster management and terrorism preparedness for over ten years.

3) Although the entire program may be accomplished in one 8-hour block, a specific segment or segments may be selected and amplified by the client depending upon the needs of the client and time considerations. Therefore, specific segments may be delivered in one-, two-, or four-hour blocks.

4) The Project is structured to meet the specific needs of the client and the class. On one hand, the specific program can be structured to provide “Awareness”-level training for the general hospital/pre-hospital health care worker or student. On the other hand, it can be structured to provide a more in-depth “Operations”-level training for emergency department personnel, critical care specialists, EMT-Ps, etc.

5) The program can be delivered either to a multi-disciplinary audience or to a specific health care specialty.

6) The developers of the K.I.D.s Project are committed to working with the client to construct an educational program that meets the specific needs of a particular audience.