Chemical-biological terrorism and its impact on children: A subject review

There is an increasing threat that chemical and biological weapons will be used on a civilian population in an act of domestic terrorism. Casualties a mong adults and children could be significant in such an event. Federal, st ate, and local authorities have begun extensive planning to meet a chemical -biological incident by developing methods of rapid identification of poten tial agents and protocols for management of victims without injury to healt h care personnel. Because children would be disproportionately affected by a chemical or biological weapons release, pediatricians must assist in plan ning for a domestic chemical-biological incident. Government agencies shoul d seek input from pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists to ensure that the situations created by multiple pediatric casualties after a chemical-b iological incident are considered. This statement reviews key aspects of ch emical-biological agents, the consequences of their use, the potential impa ct of a chemical-biological attack on children, and issues to consider in d isaster planning and management for pediatric patients.