September, 2001

The threat of bioterrorism is on the minds of many parents. To address those concerns, PKIDs (Parents of Kids with Infectious Diseases) and medical and public health specialists have made these recommendations to curtail the spread of infectious diseases that could result from natural or terrorist activities.

If a biologic agent is ever released, it could take days for symptoms to develop and for the biological agent to be identified. Currently, hospitals and government health departments are on high alert for any unusual disease outbreaks nationwide.

If or when a terrorist-inspired epidemic occurs, parents should react the same way they would if there was a sudden, severe outbreak of influenza or some other disease outbreak in their local community.

First, is there a vaccine available that can prevent the disease? Immunizations have been a critical weapon in preventing infectious disease. Currently, the federal government plans no widespread use or distribution of anthrax or smallpox vaccines, but the policy is under constant review by the U.S. Public Health Service Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and by the American Academy of Pediatrics Committees on Infectious Diseases and Environmental Health.

Second, how can families most effectively safeguard their children's health? Parents can try to limit their and their children's exposure to infected individuals and they can prepare for a possible quarantine within their homes. Here are some guidelines for such a scenario from public health specialists at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Civilian Biodefense Studies.

Prepare as if a hurricane or blizzard was coming. Every coastal home in Florida should have a supply of water, flashlights and food. Families across the country should do the same. In the event of an epidemic, a government-mandated quarantine or home stay could range from one to three weeks. Access to grocery and drug stores may be limited during that time.

Government bioterrorism preparation simulations have found one of the best ways to contain an outbreak and prevent the spread of an infectious agent through person-to-person contact is to keep everyone at home.

Place the phone numbers of local hospitals and city, county or state public health departments in a prominent place. Public health departments will be monitoring disease outbreaks and will make recommendations about what precautions families should take. Health departments and other government agencies will decide whether to recommend that children stay home from school. They will also advise families where to go for smallpox immunizations or for antibiotics.

If parents are particularly anxious about what to do in the event of an epidemic, they should talk to their child's physician now about any concerns they have and find out how well informed the physician is.

Do what you can to prevent the spread of infectious disease, no matter what the cause. If children are ill, don't send them to school and spread the infection. If parents are ill, stay home.

Dr. Luciana Borio, a fellow at Johns Hopkins University Center for Civilian Biodefense Studies and a critical care medicine fellow at the National Institutes of Health, also recommends that families keep a first aid kit with antiseptic, bandages, anti-diarrhea medication and over-the-counter pain killers. Parents should also keep a card with all their children's key medical information, such as medication schedule and food or drug allergies. "If a parent becomes ill, they want to make sure their children are taken care of appropriately," Dr. Borio added.

Don't stockpile antibiotics, said Dr. Borio. Of the five top suspected biologic agents that would cause widespread disease, three (anthrax, plague and tularemia) could be treated with antibiotics. But don't call the family doctor for a prescription. Antibiotics quickly expire, dosages vary and the timing of when to take antibiotics and for how long varies depending on the biologic agent used in an attack. For instance, in the case of anthrax, antibiotics must be administered before symptoms appear and in the case of plague, antibiotic treatment must continue for seven days following last exposure. The federal government already has a stockpile of antibiotics that will be deployed to infected areas in the event of an attack.

For more information on stopping the spread of infectious diseases in children go to: http://www.pkids.org or call 877-557-5437

Other Bioterrorism Resources

• Johns Hopkins University Center for Civilian Biodefense Studies
• National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's BioTerrorism Preparedness and Response
• American Academy of Pediatrics Response to Questions about the Anthrax and Smallpox Vaccines