Special emergency care vital for children.

Children cannot be treated like pint-sized adults, especially when it comes to emergency medical care. Texas was the second state in the nation to recognize the fact that children need a special brand of emergency care. Legislation passed last summer established a special emergency medical system for children within the Texas Department of Health. New Jersey was the first state to institute such a program in September 1992.

A report released by the Institute of Medicine in 1993 said there are "gaping holes nationwide in the level of children's emergency medical care." Unlike adult patients, children are at a greater risk of having serious breathing problems, are less tolerant of blood loss and are more vulnerable to head injuries. The first 30 minutes of treatment are critical in treating an injured child, unlike the "Golden Hour" - the 60 minutes that make a difference in adult trauma care.

More than 20,000 youngsters under age 19 die of injuries each year. In fact, injuries claim the lives of more children than do...