AUSTIN, Texas — As part of National EMS Week 2026, the Emergency Medical Services for Children Improvement Center will observe EMS for Children Day on May 20 to honor EMS clinicians who care for children and families in emergencies.
The observance will also highlight the federal EMS for Children Program and its work to improve pediatric emergency care nationwide, the center said in a press release.
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The EMSC Program and NAEMT will also host a free EMS for Children Day webinar on May 20.
The session, “Rethinking Spinal Motion Restriction in Children: Evidence-Based Strategies for Prehospital Care,” will run from 2 to 3 p.m. ET and review current evidence on pediatric spinal motion restriction in prehospital care.
The webinar is approved for 1 hour of CAPCE credit.
“We are honored to celebrate EMS Week and thank EMS clinicians for all of their efforts to be Pediatric Ready,” EMSC Program’s Innovation and Improvement Center’s Kathleen Adelgais, MD, MPH, said. “Pediatric c-spine management is a great example of the need for evidence-based, pediatric-specific prehospital care. We look forward to sharing the progress made and what’s available for EMS clinicians.”
Dr. Adelgais said measuring pediatric readiness is key to improving care. She helps lead the Prehospital Pediatric Readiness Project, which recently completed a national assessment of nearly 7,000 EMS and fire-rescue agencies and offers tools to help agencies identify gaps in pediatric care.
More information about EMSC Day, including activities and family engagement resources, is available on the EMSC Day webpage.
