The 2023 Recommendations for Preventive Pediatric Health Care (Periodicity Schedule) has been approved by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Each child and family is unique; therefore, these recommendations are designed for the care of children who are receiving nurturing parenting, have no manifestations of any important health problems, and are growing and developing in a satisfactory fashion. Developmental, psychosocial, and chronic disease issues for children and adolescents may require more frequent counseling and treatment visits separate from preventive care visits. Additional visits also may become necessary if circumstances suggest concerns.
The AAP continues to emphasize the great importance of continuity of care in comprehensive health supervision and the need to avoid fragmentation of care.1
To ensure that health care professionals have the most current recommendations, the Periodicity Schedule is not published in Pediatrics but is posted on the American Academy of Pediatrics Web site (www.aap.org/periodicityschedule). This webpage includes the most recent version of the Periodicity Schedule and the full set of footnotes. The Periodicity Schedule is reviewed and revised annually to reflect current evidence and recommendations.
The following is a description of the changes made to the Periodicity Schedule since it was last published in July 2022.
HIV Screening
The HIV screening recommendation has been updated to extend the upper age limit from 18 to 21 years (to account for the range in which the screening can take place) to align with recommendations of the US Preventive Services Task Force and AAP policy (“Adolescents and Young Adults: The Pediatrician’s Role in HIV Testing and Pre and Postexposure HIV Prophylaxis”).
Footnote 30 has been updated to read, “Screen adolescents for HIV at least once between the ages of 15 and 21, making every effort to preserve confidentiality of the adolescent, as per ‘Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection: Screening’ (US Preventive Services Task Force Final Recommendation Statement Human Immunodeficiency Virus [HIV] Infection: Screening), and after initial screening, youth at increased risk of HIV infection should be retested annually or more frequently, as per ‘Adolescents and Young Adults: The Pediatrician’s Role in HIV Testing and Pre- and Postexposure HIV Prophylaxis’.”
Committee on Practice and Ambulatory Medicine, 2022–2023
Jesse M. Hackell, MD, FAAP, Chairperson
Yvette M. Almendarez, MD, FAAP
Abeba M. Berhane, MD, FAAP
Patricia E. Cantrell, MD, FAAP
Lisa M. Kafer, MD, FAAP
Tomitra Latimer, MD, FAAP
Katherine S. Schafer, DO, FAAP
Alisa Skatrud, MPA, Family Liaison
Robin Warner, MD, FAAP
Robert H. Wiskind, MD, FAAP
Staff
Mackenzie Magnus, MBA, MPH
Bright Futures Periodicity Schedule Workgroup
Patricia E. Cantrell, MD, FAAP
Alex R. Kemper, MD, MPH, MS, FAAP, Bright Futures Evidence Expert
Alisa Skatrud, MPA, Family Liaison
Robin Warner, MD, FAAP
Staff
Jane B. Bassewitz, MA
Kathryn M. Janies
Policy statements from the American Academy of Pediatrics benefit from expertise and resources of liaisons and internal (AAP) and external reviewers. However, policy statements from the American Academy of Pediatrics may not reflect the views of the liaisons or the organizations or government agencies that they represent.
The guidance in this statement does not indicate an exclusive course of treatment or serve as a standard of medical care. Variations, taking into account individual circumstances, may be appropriate.
All policy statements from the American Academy of Pediatrics automatically expire 5 years after publication unless reaffirmed, revised, or retired at or before that time.
Reference
Competing Interests
This document is copyrighted and is property of the American Academy of Pediatrics and its Board of Directors. All authors have filed conflict of interest statements with the American Academy of Pediatrics. Any conflicts have been resolved through a process approved by the Board of Directors. The American Academy of Pediatrics has neither solicited nor accepted any commercial involvement in the development of the content of this publication.
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