The American Academy of Pediatrics

We’re the American Academy of Pediatrics—67,000+ pediatricians strong and here to support every child’s health and every family’s future. More to come....and soon.

A new AAP policy emphasizes the long-lasting impacts child detention has on child growth and development well after release. Read more about the new policy: publications.aap.org/aapnews/news...

A statement from AAP President Dr. Andrew Racine on today’s executive order on U.S. childhood vaccines: www.aap.org/en/news-room...

A new partnership makes clinical knowledge from AAP policies, recommendations and research available to doctors who use OpenEvidence, an AI assistant backed by leading medical associations and journals. Learn more about the partnership in AAP News: publications.aap.org/aapnews/news...

The vitamin K shot provides reliable, long-lasting protection with a single dose. One shot at birth offers the best protection during a baby's most vulnerable first months of life. Learn more about the importance of vitamin K at birth: www.aap.org/en/news-room...

Raw milk continues to be a popular topic on social media. AAP News recently sat down with Dr. Anne Sardi and Dr. Adam Ratner, of the AAP Section on Infectious Diseases, about how pediatricians can respond when asked about raw milk. Here are their answers: publications.aap.org/aapnews/news...

Summer means vacations, camps, and lots of family time together. But with more travel and social gatherings, contagious diseases can spread more easily. Staying up to date on recommended vaccines helps protect your family and supports community immunity, making summer activities safer for everyone.

A new Digital Design Guide developed by the AAP Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health’s Youth Advisory Panel shares teens’ top 10 priorities for making social media and other online platforms safer, more supportive and developmentally appropriate. Check it out: tr.ee/4y1xoN

A year after Utah's measles outbreak began, over 680 people have been infected, and health officials say there is still no clear end to the outbreak in sight. This is a reminder that when vaccination rates decline, eradicated diseases can return to communities. Read more: apnews.com/article/meas...

Join the AAP Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health for a virtual launch event highlighting their new Youth Digital Design Guide! Register today to join the conversation around building better digital platforms for youth: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Many children in foster care face serious challenges. AAP’s updated policy statement, “Developmental Challenges of Young Children in Foster Care,” focuses on the critical role of stable relationships with adults on brain development, among other factors. publications.aap.org/aapnews/news...

AAP supports ACOGs latest maternal vaccine recommendations to help our most vulnerable population from preventable diseases. Read more about ACOGs recommendations: bit.ly/43YWjAW

This morning, Good Morning America featured Apple’s latest child safety updates arriving this fall, including the AAP’s Family Media Plan. Hear more about these new safety features and how they’ll be implemented across Apple devices: www.goodmorningamerica.com/amp/video/13...

We’re honored to share that the AAP has been awarded the 2026 Best of Silver Anvils Award from the Public Relations Society of America for our work to improve vaccine confidence. Thank you to our partners and members for your unwavering support! ebs.publicnow.com/view/1C12582...

Doctors say it’s understandable to be concerned about hantavirus, especially with misinformation spreading online, but the public risk remains low. Pediatricians urge patients to speak with their doctors to understand how hantavirus differs from COVID. publications.aap.org/aapnews/news...

Amid concerns about a physician shortage, AAP President Dr. Racine cautiously applauded a recent federal policy reversal that now exempts physicians from a freeze on processing visas from certain countries. Though questions still remain. Read the full piece: publications.aap.org/aapnews/news...

The AAP released a policy statement which shares guidance for pediatric offices to prepare for pediatric emergencies. The guidance outlines an approach to pediatric emergencies in primary care offices, urgent care centers, and pediatric specialty facilities. publications.aap.org/aapnews/news...

A new investigative piece by The Guardian highlights how rollbacks to school entry vaccine requirements in Mississippi are harming children and families across the state. Read the full piece in The Guardian to learn more. www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...

Read the full statement from AAP President Dr. Andrew Racine on a federal judge's ruling to block key aspects of HHS Secretary RFK Jr’s efforts to upend vaccine policy:  www.aap.org/en/news-room...

A federal judge in Boston has temporarily blocked key parts of HHS’s childhood vaccine policy after ruling in a case brought by the AAP and other medical organizations.

People have greater trust in major health and science associations outside government – such as @americanheart.bsky.social, @ameracadpeds.bsky.social, @nasonline.org and the American Medical Assn. – than in U.S. health agencies.

“It’s a very important responsibility when you are entrusted with the health of a child.” #MyWhy Pediatrics trainee Samantha Ratner shares more about her love for pediatrics and her motivation for wanting to work with kids:

Dr. Alex Cvijanovich shares the story of a child she treated with measles complications 20 years ago. She hopes to never see such a devastating death again in her career, but with measles cases on the rise and vaccination rates decreasing, she is concerned. www.theatlantic.com/health/2026/...

Ever wonder what goes through a doctor’s mind when their pager goes off… and they know a new life is about to enter the world? 👶✨ “It’s a miracle. Every. Single. Time.” Hear more from Dr. Joanna Parga Belinkie as she shares her “why” behind her career in pediatrics.

AAP is calling on HHS Secretary RFK Jr. to promote measles vaccines and deploy more support to outbreak areas as cases surge. Dr. Racine called for the CDC to provide more personnel, resources & technical assistance to areas experiencing outbreaks. Read more: publications.aap.org/aapnews/news...

Congratulations to AAP’s immediate past president, Dr. Susan J. Kressly, for her recognition on TIME's TIME100 Health List of the World’s Most Influential Leaders in Health. Read more: time.com/collections/...

CDPH, alongside partners in the West Coast Health Alliance, endorses the 2026 @ameracadpeds.bsky.social Recommended Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule. This schedule ensures CA families have guidance based on the latest scientific evidence. 📲 Learn more www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OPA... [1/3]

The West Coast Health Alliance endorses the 2026 @ameracadpeds.bsky.social Recommended Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule, as do professional medical and health orgs representing more than 1M health care providers. doh.wa.gov/newsroom/wes...

The AAP’s vaccine schedule considers when children are most likely to be exposed to contagious diseases and when children’s immune systems will respond best. This timing has kept millions of kids healthy, so they can focus on growing, playing, and learning.   www.healthychildren.org/English/safe...

Today marks a major moment for child health: the AAP has released its updated 2026 childhood and adolescent immunization schedule. Updated annually to reflect the latest scientific evidence, this year’s schedule is formally endorsed by 12 leading medical and healthcare organizations. bit.ly/4r5KbaQ

A federal judge has ruled that HHS must restore nearly $12 million in grants to the AAP while an ongoing lawsuit, filed by the Academy, proceeds. This ruling stops HHS’s unlawful retaliation against the AAP for speaking out in defense of children’s health: www.aap.org/en/news-room...

Read our full statement by AAP President Dr. Andrew Racine on today’s HHS announcement about the childhood immunization schedule: www.aap.org/en/news-room...

AAP learned this week that seven grants to AAP under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are being terminated. The sudden withdrawal of these funds will directly impact and potentially harm infants, children, youth, and their families. www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

A new study in Pediatrics found that hospitals providing only minimal pediatric services rose 137% over two decades, while those providing higher levels of care decreased. Learn more in AAP News: publications.aap.org/aapnews/news...

Each ingredient in a vaccine has a specific function, and certain childhood vaccines require aluminum as an immune-boosting ingredient. Without this ingredient, the vaccines would not work as intended. Get the facts on aluminum in vaccines: www.aap.org/en/news-room...

“This irresponsible and purposely misleading guidance will lead to more hepatitis B infections in infants and children.” Read our full statement by AAP President Dr. Susan J. Kressly: www.aap.org/en/news-room...

The decision by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to downgrade its recommendations to protect infants from hepatitis B is a dangerous move that will harm children. Click here to read AAP's full statement: bit.ly/3Y9ZQJT

Federal vaccine advisers on Thursday postponed a vote to delay the universal birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine amid chaos and confusion. Read more in AAP News: publications.aap.org/aapnews/news...

Today, ACIP is poised to vote on delaying the hepatitis B vaccine birth dose, a move that could put millions of kids at risk of lifelong disease. Read more about the implications of today’s vote in AAP News: bit.ly/4rBt1TF

Because of the hepatitis B birth dose and completion of the infant series of the vaccine, the U.S. has made significant progress in reducing chronic hepatitis B. Eliminating the birth dose would reverse this progress and put children's health at risk. Read more: www.aap.org/en/news-room...

A third Kentucky infant has died from whooping cough (also known as pertussis) this year as the state faces its largest spike in cases since 2012. Cases are only expected to continue to rise, highlighting the importance of widespread immunization. Learn more: publications.aap.org/aapnews/news...

As families gather for the holidays, it’s easier for contagious viruses to spread, putting vulnerable groups at risk. Thankfully, widespread vaccination prevents these diseases from spreading and keeps everyone healthy. Learn more. www.healthychildren.org/English/safe...

The AAP and more than 40 organizations are alarmed that the CDC is promoting the outdated, disproven idea that vaccines cause autism. We’re calling on the CDC to return to its long history of promoting evidence-based information to protect Americans’ health. Read the full statement: bit.ly/3XILwry

For decades, scientists have studied the potential causes of autism, and have repeatedly found no credible link between childhood vaccines and autism. Read our full fact-check:  www.aap.org/en/news-room...

“Since 1998, independent researchers have conducted more than 40 high-quality studies involving over 5.6 million people. The conclusion is clear and unambiguous: There’s no link between vaccines and autism." -Dr. Susan Kressly, AAP President on recent changes to the CDC's website

Because the RSV shot works differently than traditional vaccines, parents have several options when it comes to RSV protection. Pregnant mothers or their newborn can receive the immunization, offering flexibility in how families choose to help their infants build resistance from severe illness.

Parents want to do what’s best for their children, making informed decisions so that their kids can grow up happy, healthy and safe. Pediatricians share this goal, and they have devoted their careers to guiding parents and families, serving as a partner at every stage of a child's life.

With measles cases rising, it’s crucial to ensure kids are up to date on their MMR shots. Pediatricians are always ready to talk with parents about the MMR vaccine if they have any questions. www.healthychildren.org/english/safe...

The pacing of childhood vaccines is based on the times when vaccines will work best with a child’s immune system. To learn more about receiving multiple vaccines in one doctor’s visit, visit our website or have a conversation with your pediatrician. www.aap.org/en/news-room...

Peanut allergies in children ages 0-3 declined 27.2% after a 2015 study resulted in guidance recommending the introduction of peanut products in infancy among children. More from Dr. Edith Bracho-Sanchez in the New York Times: www.nytimes.com/2025/10/20/w...

The definition of autism has broadened and awareness of the condition has risen. This combined with an increase in screenings have contributed to an increase in the number of children diagnosed. Read what doctors are saying about the increase in autism diagnoses. www.wsj.com/health/healt...