Children represent a special challenge for emergency care providers, because they have unique medical needs in comparison to adults. For decades, policy makers and providers have recognized the special needs of children, but the system has been slow to develop an adequate response to their needs. This is in part due to inadequacies within the broader emergency care system. Emergency Care for Children examines the challenges associated with the provision of emergency services to children and families and evaluates progress since the publication of the Institute of Medicine report Emergency Medical Services for Children (1993), the first comprehensive look at pediatric emergency care in the United States. This new book offers an analysis of:

• The role of pediatric emergency services as an integrated component of the overall health system.



• System-wide pediatric emergency care planning, preparedness, coordination,
and funding.



• Pediatric training in professional education.



• Research in pediatric emergency care.



Emergency Care for Children is one of three books in the Future of Emergency
Care series. This book will be of particular interest to emergency health care
providers, professional organizations, and policy makers looking to address the pediatric deficiencies within their emergency care systems.

Table of Contents


Front Matter
Summary
1 Introduction
2 History and Current State of Pediatric Emergency Care
3 Building a 21st-Century Emergency and Trauma Care System
4 Arming the Emergency Care Workforce with Pediatric Knowledge and Skills
5 Improving the Quality of Pediatric Emergency Care
6 Improving Emergency Preparedness and Response for Children Involved in Disasters
7 Building the Evidence Base for Pediatric Emergency Care
Appendix A Committee and Subcommittee Membership
Appendix B Biographical Information for Main Committee and Pediatric Emergency Care Subcommittee
Appendix C List of Presentations to the Committee
Appendix D List of Commissioned Papers
Appendix E Recommendations and Responsible Entities from the Future of Emergency Care Series
Index