From traumatic injuries to natural disasters to violent incidents and more, first responders respond to hundreds of emergency events involving children every day.  

“Over nine million children in the United States receive emergency medical care for unintentional injuries annually,” said Dr. Lindsey Murphy, assistant professor of child life studies at Missouri State University.  

She conducted a research project to examine how first responders perceive and manage children’s reactions during emergencies. 

The goal was to dig deeper into first responders’ experiences with children during emergencies and their roles in meeting children’s psychosocial needs, as well as identify gaps in services to support these needs.  

With help from her colleague Dr. Elizabeth King, associate professor of child and family development, the article titled “The Lived Experiences of First Responders During Emergency Events Involving Children: Child Reactions, First Responder Roles, and Additional Needs” was published in The Journal of Child Life in December 2024. 

“The role of a first responder is sustaining life and supporting safety,” Murphy said. “The first responders I interviewed mentioned how helpful support would be, since they can’t always prioritize the patient and child’s needs.” 

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