Emergency Day 2025: Children in Acute Crisis

Emergency Day 2025 was held on March 7th. It is an annual conference organized by the emergency services of Landspítali, where research and projects related to emergency care in Iceland are presented. It has become a tradition to invite experts to showcase their work and research related to the theme of the day.

This year’s Emergency Day focused on acute pediatric issues, including severe illnesses and injuries, violence, mental health challenges, and other concerns handled by emergency services. The conference is interdisciplinary, attracting professionals from various fields who work with critically ill patients across society.

Bergþór Steinn Jónsson, a pediatric emergency physician at Akureyri Hospital (SAk), delivered the opening lecture on pediatric emergency care. In his address, Bergþór discussed specialized training in pediatric emergency medicine, the operations of dedicated pediatric emergency departments, as well as the work conducted at SAk. He also introduced the Pediatric Readiness initiative, aimed at better equipping general emergency departments to care for children with acute illnesses and injuries.

"It is always a pleasure to attend Emergency Day, especially with such a large and dedicated team from SAk's emergency department. It was a great honor to deliver the opening lecture, and I hope I helped generate increased interest in pediatric emergency medicine. Additionally, it was valuable to witness the solidarity during the panel discussions, where representatives from across the healthcare and social service sectors explored ways to improve services for children in vulnerable situations due to violence or substance abuse," said Bergþór.

The conference covered a wide range of topics, including:

• Children and substance use disorders

• Pediatric emergency departments

• Medical equipment, apps, and treatment protocols

• Neonatal resuscitation

• Pediatric sedation for hospital procedures

• Epidemiology and rehabilitation of recurrent head trauma in children aged 0–17 in Iceland (2010–2021)

• Healthcare services for children affected by violence

• Electric scooter-related injuries treated at Landspítali during the summers of 2023 and 2024

• Strengthening pediatric emergency services in Iceland

Following discussions, conference participants and speakers concluded with the following key takeaways:

• A child-friendly approach

  should be prioritized in pediatric healthcare services.

• All children should have access to appropriate emergency care

  , regardless of their place of residence.

• Education and specialization

  in pediatric emergency medicine and pediatric emergency nursing need to be strengthened.

• Pediatric emergency services in the capital area should be integrated

  into a single specialized pediatric emergency department, capable of addressing all acute issues—illnesses, injuries, violence, and mental health crises—by coordinating and enhancing interdisciplinary services.

• Children struggling with substance use disorders

  must receive comprehensive emergency care within the healthcare system, ensuring assessment for injuries, infections, mental health concerns, poisoning, and withdrawal symptoms. These children should also have

  immediate and seamless access to appropriate treatment options