Weather-related Pediatric Fatalities Make Up Increasingly Larger Portion of Pediatric Deaths Per Year

Weather-related pediatric fatalities account for an increasing proportion of overall pediatric fatalities, with flooding and rip currents representing the deadliest type of event for children. This comes despite data failing to show an increase in the overall absolute number of pediatric deaths from weather events. According to a study, “Weather-Related Pediatric Fatalities in the United States: 2001-2021” published in the March 2025 Pediatrics (published online Feb. 11), flooding or rip currents accounted for a third of all weather-related pediatric fatalities. These fatalities primarily occur among the very young, under 3 years old, and those children older than 13 years old. Nearly half of those fatalities occurred in two zones as defined by the Administration for Strategic Preparedness & Response. Those zones encompass gulf coast states such as Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida along with Georgia. Children living in rural areas were particularly vulnerable, with 42% of weather-related fatalities occurring in rural areas, a population that only encompasses 22% of American children. Less than half of fatalities occurred in a Pediatric Disaster Care Center of Excellence, which seek to improve systems for pediatric disaster preparedness across regions. Authors call for improvements in healthcare and pediatric disaster management infrastructure to help mitigate the risk of death for children experiencing adverse weather impacts. 

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.