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Ask Dr. Sue
PROTECTION AGAINST BIOTERRORISM
Dear Dr. Sue,
I have a question that is on every parent's mind now.
How do I protect my children from bioterrorism?
Concerned Parent
Dear Parent,
You probably realize that we are all dependent on forces
outside ourselves if a biological weapon is ever
released in a wide area. We will have to depend on
local medical personnel to recognize an unusual pattern
of illness, on the health department to give
recommendations about how to respond, and on the federal
government to help deliver a huge volume of the proper
treatments or preventative agents to affected areas.
It's our natural instinct, though, to feel that WE must
protect our children, and it is appropriate for us all
to learn as much as possible about doing that.
There are several ways that you can help to ensure your
children's safety. First, BE PREPARED. Every home
should have available a supply of water, flashlights,
fuel and food, in case circumstances caused us all to
shelter in our homes without access to stores.
(Natural disasters are at least as likely as terrorist
attacks: we were all advised to put together
emergency kits and rations after the last large
earthquake, but few of us have actually done so.)
Have the phone number of the nearest hospital, your
doctor's office, and the health department by the phone.
In case of biological emergency, it will be the health
department that will determine whether children should
attend school and what other actions and precautions
families should take. Put together a first aid
kit, and include cards with your children's medical
information, including allergies. (If something
happened to you, you would want that information readily
available to rescue personnel). Do not ask your
doctor for antibiotics to store at home; they should not
be taken unless your doctor advises them.
BE VIGILANT. It goes without saying that if you
see someone engaging in a suspicious activity having to
do with spraying a fine mist or dumping something into a
water source, you should report it to the police
department.
If you receive a suspicious-looking piece of mail, or
mail containing an unidentified fine powder, notify the
authorities. For an excellent review of what
constitutes a suspicious piece of mail, and what exactly
should be done, see the web site of Senator Bill Frist,
M.D., at http://frist.senate.gov/issues.cfm?code=bioterror
(Or, if you have trouble with this link, do a search for
Bill Frist, M.D., Bioterrorism.) His website also
includes Biological Threat Fact Sheets and numerous
links to other Federal Government sites for further
information.
LIMIT THE SPREAD OF ALL DISEASES, whether flu, chicken
pox, colds or biologically engineered weapons. If
you or your child is sick, stay home. If the
illness seems unusual or is unusually severe, seek
medical attention right away. If a
bioterrorism-induced epidemic should ever occur, you
should react the same way you would if a sudden severe
epidemic of any illness was occurring in your community.
Stay away from large gatherings; in fact, stay home as
much as possible. Call the health department for
their recommendations. Watch for any signs of
illness in your own family and seek medical care early
if they develop.
SUPPORT legislation that provides funding for research
about the special needs of Children. If a
biological attack happened, children could not just be
treated like small adults. First of all, they are
more susceptible to many agents than adults, due to
their smaller size, more immature immune systems, and
higher respiratory rates (which mean that they would
breathe in agents more quickly than adults).
Little is known about their unique needs in regard to
decontamination or specific antidotes, vaccines, and
antibiotics. Hospitals need to have age-specific
guidelines in place to deal with children in the event
of local bioterrorism. (Legislation introduced by
Senators Clinton, Dodd, and Slaughter asks for a
national task force of pediatric experts to advise
federal authorities about these issues. The task
force would be made up of experts in pediatric
infectious disease, environmental health, and
toxicology, as well as representatives from the American
Academy of Pediatrics, the National Association of
Children's Hospitals, and relevant Federal agencies.)
While the risk of bioterrorism is on everyone's mind,
the likelihood of a widespread attack still seems low.
There is a clear and present danger to your children
that you did not ask about, though, and that is the
threat to their innocence and their view of themselves,
their world, and their safety. Studies have shown that
anxiety and depression are rampant in the adult world
right now. Your children are not immune. How
can you protect them from feeling adrift in an
unfamiliar, dangerous world?
You have a responsibility to protect them from
information that they are not mature enough to process.
I don't believe that children under seven should be
watching the news at all; wait until they're in bed to
get your nightly fix of anthrax updates. Watch
WITH older children, and be available and willing to
talk about what you're watching. If they don't
initiate the conversation, ask them how they feel and
what they think about the news. Talk to them about
your feelings, but within limits (don't add to their
fears unreasonably). Reassure them that they will
be taken care of; that you will be there and will make
sure that they are, and that their government is working
hard to keep all of us safe. Provide extra
cuddling and holding time. Allow a night light if
necessary. Reintroduce those outgrown loveys (blankets,
stuffed toys) if your little one acts frightened.
Finally, give your children back a sense of control.
Encourage them to send dollar bills to President Bush's
Fund for Afghan Children, and talk about how they're
making a difference on the other side of the world.
Let them help you put together that first aid kit and
disaster kit I talked about. If they come up with
an innovative idea to help others, go out of your way to
make it happen. Amazing results are possible: 10
year old Samantha Boursaw of Rainier raised almost $500
for the Red Cross' Liberty Fund by hosting a trail ride
on the beach. Honor Society members at Coweeman
Junior High collected almost $1400 in pennies!
Other local youths have had similar successes.
(I've seen MANY signs advertising car washes, bake
sales, and other events for the Red Cross).
Whether large or small, such events remind kids that
they are not helpless. Allowing and supporting
such responses also help your children grow into adults
who take positive action rather than sitting back and
feeling helpless. Such adults will be needed in
the decades to come.
 
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