The United States has been consumed by the news about the flooding in Texas that accompanied and followed Hurricane Harvey. Many have been comforted by the relatively low levels of morbidity and mortality seen so far compared with disasters such as Hurricane Katrina. However, we should resist complacency. Unfortunately, most of the potential harm from the storm is yet to come, and much of it will fall on children.

Although flooding is one of the most deadly types of natural disasters in the United States and worldwide, floods’ full physical and mental health effects, particularly in the long term, are still not well understood. However, some data do exist and have been summarized in a 2012 systematic review on floods and human health.¹ Overall, mortality rates nearly double in the year after floods. Increases in disease outbreaks of hepatitis E and gastrointestinal infections are common, fueled by breakdowns in sanitation services and the contamination of potable water with sewage. The incidence of injuries is usually focused on the short term, driven by wounds from contact with debris. However, physical and mental effects of floods on children can be especially acute and worthy of dedicated, long-term attention.

伴随着哈维飓风而来的得克萨斯州洪水泛滥的消息使美国大吃一惊。到目前为止，与卡特里娜飓风等灾难相比，发病率和死亡率相对较低，许多人对此感到欣慰。但是，我们应该抵制自满。不幸的是，暴风雨带来的大多数潜在危害尚未到来，其中大部分将落在儿童身上。

尽管洪水是美国和世界范围内最致命的自然灾害之一，但人们对洪水对身体和精神的全面健康影响，尤其是从长期来看，仍未得到很好的了解。但是，确实存在一些数据，并已在2012年有关洪水和人类健康的系统综述中进行了总结。¹总体而言，洪灾后的死亡率几乎翻了一番。卫生服务中断和饮用水被污水污染加剧了戊型肝炎和胃肠道感染的疾病暴发。受伤的发生率通常集中在短期内，这是由接触碎屑引起的伤口驱动的。但是，洪水对儿童的身心影响尤其严重，值得长期关注。