Editor’s note: The 2023 AAP National Conference & Exhibition is taking place from Oct. 20-24 in Washington, D.C. For coverage, visit http://bit.ly/AAPNationalConference2023 and follow @AAPNews on Facebook and at twitter.com/AAPNews.
The AAP moved boldly into a post-pandemic world by “reframing, reimagining and rejuvenating,” to advocate for equitable access to health care for children, the health and safety of pediatricians, and policies that protect children so they can live a life free of trauma, AAP President Sandy L. Chung, M.D., FAAP, said Saturday during a her plenary address at the National Conference & Exhibition.
“Reframing required that we let go of the concept of getting back to the before times ... and respond to the new dynamic (and culture) in this country,” Dr. Chung said.
Reflecting on her year as AAP president, Dr. Chung shared stories about her visit to a humanitarian respite center and a processing facility in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas, media interviews to combat vaccine hesitancy, advocacy with government leaders and visiting with and learning from AAP members.
She outlined developments that will improve the lives of children, including a recent Department of Homeland Security decision to hire a pediatrician to work at the border; the AAP Agenda for Payment Transformation and new codes to improve access to lifesaving immunizations for all children; and the AAP’s role as a leader in teaching others about race-conscious, rather than race-based, medicine.
“No one should ever underestimate the power of a pediatrician … especially when we gather as a group where policy is made,” she said.
Sharing stories from her experience in practice, her childhood and her family, Dr. Chung also emphasized the challenges ahead in areas such as digital technology and social media, access to gender-affirming and reproductive care, and gun violence prevention.
“What if instead of relying on children to be resilient, we create a world that is less traumatic?” she asked. “The last several years have been taxing for all of us; this has been especially true for children’s mental health.”
She noted the benefits and dangers of social media. While it can help children connect and provide a community for the marginalized, Dr. Chung also emphasized how algorithms keep people scrolling and highlighted dangerous consequences such as cyberbullying, eating disorders, anxiety and depression.
The AAP created the Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health, which has become a valuable resource where families and clinicians can seek answers from experts in education, technology and health care.
As technology continues to evolve, the AAP will remain engaged in exploring the challenges it creates and potential for positive change. Dr. Chung said the Academy is convening a group to examine the potential impact of the rise of artificial intelligence (AI).
“AI has the potential to improve many things, but we need to ensure that children remain safe during this transformation so we are not looking back 10 years from now and wondering what happened,” Dr. Chung said.
Amid the backdrop of a developing Israel-Hamas War, Dr. Chung said AAP members have shared their “heartbreak, fear and anger” over the suffering and loss.
“They have told us about being afraid to worship or to send their children to school. This is not OK. It is mission at the AAP to protect the health and safety of all children,” she said. “Every child deserves a childhood free of violence, terror and suffering. And each of us deserves to feel supported and heard.”
Looking toward the future, Dr. Chung emphasized ways to support pediatricians and strengthen the workforce to ensure access to care. She highlighted the findings of the AAP-sponsored report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. Those include better collaboration between pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists, eliminating financial barriers, enhancing recruitment and supporting scientists.
Dr. Chung described “unprecedented frustration, stress and anxiety” experienced by pediatricians in recent years. The AAP has called for support for pediatricians who have faced threats of violence, advocated for federal protection and created a Task Force on Safety and Wellbeing within the Pediatric Profession.
“The AAP is committed to supporting you so that you can take the very best care of infants, children, adolescents and young adults in your communities,” she said.
She encouraged members to recognize the important roles they play in the lives of families and led the group in a cheer of “We Are Pediatricians!”
“We know that when a parent has anxiety or fear about their child’s fever, cough or stomachache, it is us, the pediatricians who provide … solace, healing and guidance,” she said. “When we do our jobs well, everyone benefits.”
