Page ContentBright Futures is a national health promotion and prevention initiative, led by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The Bright Futures Guidelines provide theory-based and evidence-driven guidance for all preventive care screenings and well-child visits. Bright Futures content can be incorporated into many public health programs such as home visiting, child care, school-based health clinics, and many others. Materials developed especially for families are also available. Features For ProfessionalsBright Futures WebinarsMake sure to sign up for the latest Bright Futures webinars beginning in April 2017. Learn about the revised and updated Bright Futures Guidelines, 4th Edition from the editors themselves. Learn moreBright Futures EQIPP CoursesThese courses are designed to help physicians interpret the Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children and Adolescents into everyday practice, with practical suggestions for implementation.Learn moreBright Futures GuidelinesAt your fingertips, this manual provides the most respected recommendations for the top 12 areas of child development in 1 volume, along with the most up-to-date well-child supervision standards by visit.Learn moreBright Futures Tool and Resource KitThis kit provides an organized compilation of current forms and materials for seamless and effective inclusion of preventive health supervision and health screening for infants, children, and adolescents.Learn morePerforming Preventive ServicesDesigned to accompany Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents, 3rd Edition, this manual provides effective ways to deliver the preventive services that are suggested in the Guidelines.Learn moreImplementing Bright Futures in Public HealthProfessionals can hear recorded audio stories of Bright Futures implementations and read highlights of how Bright Futures is being used by state agencies as the standard for well-child care and as essential content throughout many public health programs. Learn moreFor FamiliesFamily Pocket Guide—Available in English and SpanishDeveloped for families by families, in partnership with the AAP and other professionals, this convenient, attractive resource is based on the AAP’s Bright Futures: Guidelines for the Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents, 3rd Edition.Learn moreBright Futures Activity Book—Available in English and SpanishTo encourage parent-child interaction, the Bright Futures Activity Book provides a fun, informative, and interactive overview of the 10 themes from the Bright Futures Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents, 3rd Edition.Learn more Highlights and Announcements July 11, 2017New EQIPP Courses on Bright Futures Now Available!EQIPP: Bright Futures—Middle Childhood and Adolescence andBright Futures—Infancy and Early Childhood are designed to help guide physicians on how to interpret and implement the Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision, 4th Edition into everyday practice.In these two courses, you will collect and analyze data, identify gaps in care, and create improvement plans to address those gaps. The supporting content in the barriers and suggested ideas for change grid provides practical steps to close gaps and improve the care of patients. These key activities contribute to high-quality, ongoing pediatric care that can improve your delivery of care to patients and families in your practice.AAP members receive EQIPP courses as a valuable member benefit and are eligible for ABP MOC Part 4 credit. Click here to register and for more information.July 11, 2017New PSA - Protecting Children from MosquitosIn a new public service announcement, the AAP offers tips to protect children from mosquitos, which can transmit viruses including Zika, West Nile virus, Chikungunya virus and others. In the 30-second PSA, Anita Chandra, MD, FAAP, advises parents to use insect repellant containing DEET in children over age 2, to dress children in long sleeves and pants or to use mosquito netting over a stroller. Parents should also check their window screens and empty any containers of standing water around the house.July 11, 2017Sesame Street in Communities Sesame Street in Communities has activities to keep kids and grown-ups growing smarter, stronger, and kinder all summer long.July 10, 2017The National Center for Medical Home Implementation, in partnership with the National Academy for State Health Policy, develops state profiles highlighting public health programs that advance the medical home model in pediatric populations. The newest program featured is the STAR Kids Medicaid managed care program in Texas. STAR Kids facilitates care integrations and care management through the use of comprehensive care plans and service coordinators for children and youth with special health care needs. The NCMHI provides free technical assistance and support to pediatric clinicians, practices, Title V programs and other state-based organizations, families, community members, and others interested in implementing high quality primary care for children and youth. All TA requests are answered within one business day.July 10, 2017Multistate Mumps Outbreaks Make ResurgenceAs of May 1, a total of 2,570 mumps cases were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 42 states and the District of Columbia. This article from AAP News discusses factors that contributed to the outbreak and the role immunization plays in prevention.July 7, 2017The AAP hosted their next webinar in the Children’s Hospitals and Preparedness series, “Who’s on First? Handoff Strategies in the Children’s Hospital.” In this webinar, pediatrician experts presented on the AAP clinical report "Standardization of Inpatient Handoff Communications", a new policy statement, "Handoffs: Transitions of Care for Children in the Emergency Department", and two new tools: the 'Handoff Evaluation Tool' and the 'Briefing Checklist Tool'Click here to access the archived recordingJuly 7, 2017The Campaign for Dental Health has created four shareable images/short videos in English and Spanish. Images include messages about oral health and pregnancy, early childhood oral health, adolescent oral health, and pediatricians and oral health. PDF versions are also available for download and reproduction for educational purposes. Email oralhealth@aap.org for more information.July 7, 2017SIDS deaths appear to be linked to elevated serotoninThe Atlantic reports that a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals “a substantial number of SIDS deaths appear to be linked to elevated serotonin.” After testing “the blood of 61 babies whose deaths were characterized as SIDS,” investigators “found that nearly one-third of them had increased levels of the neurotransmitter in their blood.” Rosemary Higgins, “a neonatologist at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, which oversaw the study,” said, “This is a very exciting finding.” Higgins added, “More research would need to be done, but it could possibly lead to a forensic test to distinguish SIDS deaths from other causes of death among infants.” July 7, 2017New AAP Resource for Parents on Baby's First Three Months This new booklet offers parents and other caregivers essential guidance for the first 3 months of their baby's life. "Newborn Care: A Guide for Parents and Caregivers" covers basic baby care, like bath time, cradle cap, diaper changing, diaper rash, dressing and undressing baby, feeding, nail care, safe sleep, and soothing a crying baby. It also addresses essential health care topics, including taking a rectal temperature, visiting the pediatrician and immunizations.July 7, 2017The Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (PEHSUs) program hosts a regularly scheduled webinar series. These webinars are educational presentations by environmental health experts that focus on current and emerging issues in pediatric and reproductive environmental health. These events are free of charge and continuing education (CE) credit is available, including CME and CNE. The next webinar is “Eco-Healthy Child Care: Development, Partners, Progress”Wednesday, July 19, 2017 1 PM ET Click here to registerJune 29, 2017Fireworks & Summer Safety TipsThe AAP continues to urge families NOT to buy fireworks for their own use and to leave fireworks to the trained professionals.Parents, get fireworks safety tips here and other summer safety tips here.June 29, 20175 Steps for Brain-Building Serve and ReturnDesigned specifically for practitioners to use with parents and caregivers, this new tool reinforces the importance of "serve and return" interactions to children's healthy development and breaks them down into five easy steps developed by the Filming Interactions to Nurture Development (FIND) program. Click here for more information.June 28, 2017National ASK Day (Asking Saves Kids) June 21 was National ASK Day. The nation’s pediatricians continue to urge parents to ask about guns before sending a child over to a friend’s home to play this summer. Guns currently are the second leading cause of death among children and teens, and nearly 1.7 million children live in a home with a loaded, unlocked gun. Thet ASK Campaign has successfully inspired 19 million households to take the pledge to ask if there are guns where their children play. The AAP released a new Public Service Announcement video with Dr. Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP, on why parents should ask about guns just as they would any other potential safety hazard. In addition, AAP Voices features a new post by Dr. Judy Schaechter, MD, MBA, FAAP, who served as a litigant in Wollschlaeger v. Governor of the State of Florida, about why it’s so important that pediatricians have the right to talk with families about guns.Learn more from the National ASK Day website.June 28, 2017Got Transition released a new tip sheet to help practices incorporate transition as part of their application process for becoming a patient-centered medical home (PCMH). Using the 2017 Standards for Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), this practice resource includes a table that cross-walks NCQA PCMH criteria and guidance with specific linked Six Core Elements tools.Click HERE for the tip sheet.June 26, 2017NCMHI 2017 Webinar Series: Back to Basics: Meaningfully and Effectively Engaging Families in Pediatric Practices and Systems eyond Coexistence: Cultivating Successful Family Partnerships in Clinical Practice WebinarThe National Center for Medical Home Implementation, the National Center for Family Professional Partnerships, and Bright Futures National Center hosted a three-part series focusing on family engagement in pediatric practices and systems. Find recordings, PowerPoint presentations, and audience questions from all three webinars here.