Early Phase Psychiatric Response for Children and Adolescents After Mass Trauma: Lessons Learned From the Truck-Ramming Attack in Nice on July 14th, 2016.

Florence Askenazy,Susanne Thümmler,Michèle Battista,Fabian Guenolé,Lucie Chauvelin,Morgane Gindt

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00065

Abstract

Recent years have seen a multiplication of terrorist attacks in public places across European and North American countries, thus heightening the need for public mental health planning and response strategies focused on the special needs of children and their families. The present article retrospectively analyzes the early phase psychiatric response for children and adolescents after the truck attack in Nice on July 14th, 2016. In addition, lessons which can be drawn from it will be discussed, with a focus on organizational challenges in the early phase. During the first 2 weeks after the attack, 668 individuals have been registered at the medico-psychological emergency unit of the Children's Hospitals of Nice, including 365 (54.6%) children and adolescents of all ages. Overall, 146 child and adolescent mental health care professionals participated in this specific facility, including 75 psychiatrists and psychologists. The implementation of the medico-psychological emergency unit dedicated to the pediatric population has been an indispensable and unprecedented public health challenge in our country. Future studies are needed in order to evaluate and to improve the efficiency of the individual as well as collective impact of early phase psychiatric interventions dedicated for children and adolescents after mass trauma.

Highlights

The truck-ramming attack in Nice, France, on the evening of July 14th, 2016, is one of several terrorist attacks which occurred in public places across European countries in recent years [1]
Regarding the few hours following the event—the immediate response phase—our experience firstly reinforces the importance of providing for child and adolescent aspects within the psychiatric component of hospitals’ disaster plans [23]
POST-IMMEDIATE RESPONSE PHASE: Specific child, adolescent, and family medico-psychological care Location distant from attack site Organization and supervision by professionals not directly involved in patient care Participation in liaison psychiatry and supporting announcements of severe sequelae or death Systematic group debriefing by external specialists Individual debriefing whenever necessary

Summary

Introduction

The truck-ramming attack in Nice, France, on the evening of July 14th, 2016 (see Box 1), is one of several terrorist attacks which occurred in public places across European countries in recent years [1]. On Thursday, July 14th, 2016, at 10:33 p.m. in Nice, a gunman conducting a heavy truck rushed quickly at the crowd along the seafront boulevard (the Promenade des Anglais), killing 86 people, including ten children, and injuring about 500 other people This attack occurred during the summer holiday period, on the evening of the national day, just a few minutes after the traditional fireworks. Most of people at the scene stayed confined for several hours in building hallways, restaurants or shops, where they received on social networks some alarming fake news about multiple attacks across the town Going back to their home or vehicle, a number of families had to walk again along the Promenade des Anglais, and were exposed to the bloody bodies of victims

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