Pediatric Critical Care Approach for Children Exposed to Earthquakes

Earthquakes are natural disasters that pose significant risks to children, who are particularly vulnerable to trauma and injuries. For a critical care approach to children exposed to earthquakes, rapid triage, and initial evaluation, proper management of Crush syndrome, electrolyte disorders, compartment syndrome, hypothermia, and infection control are important. In addition to these clinical management maneuvers, psychological support, family-centered care, staff training, and community preparedness are other significant issues in earthquakes. A well-prepared and coordinated approach is essential to meet the immediate and long-term medical and psychological needs of earthquake-affected children, thus increasing their chances of recovery and resilience. In this article, we discussed a critical care approach for pediatric patients exposed to earthquakes as a life-saving intervention.