The needs and capabilities of minors, however, are not all the same, nor do all refugee children and adolescents find themselves in identical circumstances. Infants and children are often the hardest hit during refugee emergencies. At this age, young people are particularly vulnerable, especially when, as is usually the case, they come from countries where dietary standards are poor, primary health care services have collapsed and immunization programmes have been disrupted. Because they have not yet acquired the necessary immunities, refugee children are highly susceptible to disease and illness. Diarrhoea caused by polluted water and the contamination of food and hands is a leading cause of infant death in most poorer countries, and can be particularly prevalent in a crowded and hastily established refugee settlement.
Malnutrition represents another major threat to the lives of young refugee children.
Infants in less developed countries have a particular need for their mother's milk, with its high nutritional content and antibodies, as well as specially prepared foods. In a refugee emergency, adult family members may not have the time or resources to prepare appropriate or sufficient food for the infants in their care. Needless separations Refugee children who have been separated from their parents and family require particular help and care. Such separations occur in many ways. When a refugee movement is triggered by an unexpected event, there may simply be no time or opportunity for a family to flee together.