CDC offers pediatric health care providers resources on Ebola in children
Children’s needs differ significantly from the needs of adults, especially when it comes to handling dire situations like the current Ebola outbreak in West Africa that has resulted in a few cases in the United States.
Children may be at increased risk for developing the infection if they have recently traveled to one of the countries experiencing an outbreak. However, since they are very unlikely to be caregivers or participate in funeral activities that raise the risk of exposure, the chances of a child in the United States developing Ebola is very low, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Because information about Ebola can be scary and alarming for children, it is important for healthcare providers to recognize and address their developmental and psychological needs to help them better understand facts about the illness and their risk of exposure. It also helps to be prepared just in case the need arises to address a potential Ebola case.
The CDC recommends the following resources to guide health care providers who work with children:
1. Ebola Virus Disease and Children: What US Pediatricians Need to Know
2. What Obstetrician–Gynecologists Should Know About Ebola
3. Information for Healthcare Workers and Settings
4. Algorithm for Evaluation of the Returned Traveler
5. Checklist for Patients Being Evaluated for Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the United States
6. Interim Guidance for Environmental Infection Control in Hospitals for Ebola Virus
7. Ebola Preparedness Considerations for Outpatient/Ambulatory Care Centers
8. Ebola Screening Criteria for Outpatient/Ambulatory Care Centers