Kennedy Krieger Institute is an internationally recognized institution dedicated to improving the lives of individuals with disorders of the brain, spinal cord, and musculoskeletal system.
The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have been challenging for US uniformed
service families and their children. Almost 60% of US service
members have family responsibilities. Approximately 2.3 million active
duty, National Guard, and Reserve service members have been
deployed since the beginning of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq
(2001 and 2003, respectively), and almost half have deployed more
than once, some for up to 18 months' duration. Up to 2 million US
children have been exposed to a wartime deployment of a loved one
in the past 10 years. Many service members have returned from
combat deployments with symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder,
depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and traumatic brain injury. The
mental health and well-being of spouses, significant others, children
(and their friends), and extended family members of deployed service
members continues to be significantly challenged by the experiences
of wartime deployment as well as by combat mortality and morbidity.
The medical system of the Department of Defense provides health and
mental health services for active duty service members and their
families as well as activated National Guard and Reserve service
members and their families. In addition to military pediatricians
and civilian pediatricians employed by military treatment facilities,
nonmilitary general pediatricians care for >50% of children and
family members before, during, and after wartime deployments. This
clinical report is for all pediatricians, both active duty and civilian, to
aid in caring for children whose loved ones have been, are, or will be
deployed.
Essential living expenses; Bereavement assistance; Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury outreach; Morale boosting recreation events
Military children's events
Hospital outreach, assisting military families during their most trying times"