Babies and kids in a disaster: infant feeding, school pickup plans, and how Japan does it

Babies and children need things an adult emergency kit doesn't cover, and in a disaster they may be at school or daycare, away from you. This guide pulls together what the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Ready.gov and FEMA say, and how Japan handles infant feeding and school pickup.

Feeding infants

• AAP: "The cleanest, safest food for an infant, in disasters or emergencies, is human milk." If formula is used, AAP recommends ready-to-feed formula, and says to "Use concentrated or powdered formula only if a safe water supply is ensured."
• AAP's HealthyChildren.org: for babies younger than 2 months, premature babies, or those with weak immune systems, use boiled water; "After boiling the water, let it cool for about 5 minutes." Prepared formula "must be discarded within 1 hour after feeding it from the bottle to your baby."
• In Japan, ready-to-drink liquid formula became legal to make and sell in 2018, and the national government sends formula and bottles to disaster areas. Japan's health ministry guidance (based on WHO/FAO) says to prepare powdered formula with water kept at 70°C or above and to discard it if not used within 2 hours. Follow the guidance where you are, and the instructions on the package.

Kids at school or daycare

• Ready.gov: "Know the emergency plan for your child's school and child care facility."
• Ready.gov: "Create a backpack emergency card that your child can keep with them."
• Ready.gov's kids' page: "Pick someone out of town—they may be easier to reach in a disaster," and "Text, don't talk."
• FEMA found that "63 percent of parents would disregard an evacuation order and go directly to their child's school." Knowing the school's plan in advance helps you avoid racing into danger.

How Japanese schools hand children over

Many Japanese schools and daycares use a formal handover (引き渡し): children stay at school until a registered guardian picks them up. The education ministry's manual gives intensity-based examples (for instance, keeping children at school after strong shaking), but says these are only examples that each school sets for itself. Japan's government also asks families to send just one person to pick up children, to keep roads and stations from overflowing.

Our suggestions

• Ask your child's school or daycare how pickup works after a disaster and who is registered to collect your child.
• Put a card with family phone numbers in your child's bag.
• Pack infant supplies for several days: formula, clean cups, diapers, wipes.

For a household plan, see "Make a family emergency plan." A Japanese version focused on babies is available: "赤ちゃんの防災" (in Japanese).