Pediatric Disaster Science: Understanding Needs, Highlighting Imperatives, and Leveraging Opportunities

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) Symposium on Pediatric Disaster Science, which was led by the Action Collaborative for Disaster Research, was held August 1st and 2nd, 2022, in Washington, DC. The meeting convened a broad representation of subject matter experts, including federal and nonfederal partners, with the goal of presenting the scope of perspectives, information, and scientific needs related to disasters affecting children. Meeting goals were achieved through formal presentations and facilitated discussions that identified high level pediatric disaster research priorities, opportunities for synergistic scientific efforts, and considerations and strategies to effectively advance pediatric disaster science to improve outcomes for children in disasters. This three-part discussion paper is part of the Symposium collection of works as a compilation of perspectives, ideas, and discussions shared during the Symposium, with follow-on considerations for the field. Part 1 focuses on pediatric disaster science throughout the disaster cycle; Part 2 addresses the scope of translational science in pediatric disaster management; and Part 3 addresses opportunities for building the infrastructure and workforce to support current and future pediatric disaster science efforts. Associated articles in this Symposium collection of works were submitted after the meeting by experts in the field; these pieces augment some of the themes and key concepts identified throughout the Symposium.