Bright Futures

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Bright Futures is a national health promotion and prevention initiative, led by the American Academy of Pediatrics and supported, in part, by the US Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)​, Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB)​. 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 Professionals

    • Bright Futures Implementation Tip Sheets

      These NEW and UPDATED tip sheets offer practical advice to help you integrate the Bright Futures approach, tools and resources into your daily practice.Learn more

    • Bright Futures Tool and Resource Kit, 2nd Edition NEW!

      Completely updated Toolkit corresponding with the Bright Futures Guidelines, 4th Edition, with key documents that work as an integrated system to assist a health care professional carry out an efficient Bright Futures health supervision visit.Learn more

    • Bright Futures Guidelines

      At 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. PDF versions are now available for reference.Learn more

    • Medical Screening Reference Tables

      The tables provide an easy-to-use reference table for each Bright Futures well-child visit. Each table compiles the relevant history, risk assessment questions, and action to take if the risk assessment shows a positive result.Learn more

    • Bright Futures Webinars

      Make 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 more

    • Bright Futures EQIPP Courses

      These 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 more

    • Implementing Bright Futures in Public Health

      Professionals 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 more

    • Performing Preventive Services

      Designed 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 more
  • For Families

    • The Well-Child Visit: Why Go and What to Expect

      This NEW handout, The Well-Child Visit: Why Go and What to Expect, helps families prepare for their regular check-ups. Learn more

    • Bright Futures Activity Book—Available in English and Spanish

      To 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

  • September 13, 2019

    ​Policy Update: Recommendations for Prevention and Control of Influenza in Children, 2019-2020

    The AAP has updated recommendations for the routine use of seasonal influenza vaccine and antiviral medications for the prevention and treatment of influenza in children.

    Details appear in the policy statement, Recommendations for Prevention and Control of Influenza in Children, 2019-2020, which will be published in the October issue of Pediatrics, and have been released early online.

  • September 13, 2019

    Webinar: Children in Detention: Critical Clinical, Legal, Policy, and Human Rights Issues for Health Professionals

    Date: Wednesday, September 25th, 2019
    Time (by time zone): 
    11:00 - 12:30 PM Pacific
    12:00 - 1:30 PM Mountain
    1:00 - 2:30 PM Central
    2:00 - 3:30 PM Eastern


    This urgent webinar, sponsored by the National Health Collaborative on Violence and Abuse (NHCVA) and presented by colleagues from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) addresses the clinical, mental health, policy, legal, and human rights issues faced by detained migrant children and their caregivers. Particular attention will be paid to how participants can harness their own professional training and standing to become more involved in both direct service and advocacy, in order to address what many consider to be an urgent humanitarian crisis and a deliberate assault on human rights.

  • September 12, 2019

    New Report! Fostering Healthy Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Development in Children and Youth: A National Agenda ​

    This new report from the Board on Children, Youth, and Families calls for the creation of a broad-based effort to improve the mental, emotional, and behavioral health for children and youth, led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The initiative would build awareness of the social and economic gains associated with healthy child development and engage multiple sectors of society in working toward that goal. Achieving meaningful improvements will require a comprehensive, integrated approach that takes advantage of the full range of research findings about salient influences, effective strategies, and what is required for their successful implementation.

    Click here for more information, and to access the full report. 

  • September 11, 2019

    ​AAP Mild Traumatic Brain Injury ECHO

    The American Academy of Pediatrics is recruiting up to 25 primary care practices to join a 6-month learning collaborative aimed to improve access to quality healthcare for children and youth with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Practices in rural settings are especially encouraged to apply.

    Practices will engage in the ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) modelTM, a telementoring platform that leverages video conference technology to connect experts with primary care teams in local communities, fostering an "all teach, all learn" approach. 

    Interested?

    Apply online by September 30, 2019. Contact Amy Shah, ECHO Manager at ashah@aap.org for any questions.

  • September 11, 2019

    AAP Return To Learn ECHO

    What is AAP Return to Learn ECHO?
    The AAP Return to Learn ECHO is an interactive forum for school personnel to:

    • Develop skills to recognize and screen mTBI symptoms, such as dizziness, headache, confusion and/or fatigue.
    • Learn about state concussion laws and best practices for returning children to school, learn and play.
    • Encourage communication between health care provider, parents, and school personnel to improve management of students with mTBI.
    • Access resources to support the mTBI recovery process.

    Eligible Participants
    This is a team-based project open to those from public, private and charter schools with grade levels ranging from K-12. Teams from rural school districts are especially encouraged to apply. Teams including a diverse group of at least two or more school personnel will be given priority.

    Team members might include:

    • School administrators
    • School nurses
    • Teachers
    • Counselors and/or school mental health professionals
    • Athletic trainers and/or athletic directors
    • Other personnel responsible for handling academic components (Return to Learn) and the physical components of return to play/return to activity following a mTBI

    Registration
    Participants are encouraged to attend all 5 sessions and will receive a certificate of attendance (for a maximum of 5 hours) which can be submitted to respective accreditation bodies.  

    To register, complete the online survey by September 22, 2019. For more information, contact Jessica Leffelman at jleffelman@aap.org

  • September 9, 2019

    *NEW* Podcast Launch - Conversations About Care​

    In partnership with Bright Futures, the Institute for Healthy Childhood Weight has created a pilot podcast series called Conversations About Care. The focus of the series is to highlight pragmatic and lively conversations between health care providers. Host, Sandy Hassink, MD, FAAP, dialogs with guests about important themes in practice associated with healthy childhood weight and related practical strategies and resources to support patient-centered care within the changing landscape of medicine and social norms.

    Episode 1 – Picky Eating: In this conversation with Chris Bolling, MD, FAAP, a primary care pediatrician from Kentucky and Chair of the Section on Obesity, Sandy and Chris discuss their challenges and solutions to addressing picky eating with patients and families. Listen here now.

  • September 9, 2019

    ​Resources for FASD Awareness Month

    Screening for Prenatal Exposure to Alcohol: An Implementation Guide for Pediatric Primary Care Providers

    Pediatricians have long known about the harmful effects of alcohol on the developing fetus and subsequent lifelong physical, behavioral and learning challenges. Recent evidence estimates that approximately 3.3 million women in the U.S. are at risk for an alcohol-exposed pregnancy. To assist pediatricians in identifying children who were exposed to alcohol prenatally, the American Academy of Pediatrics developed an implementation guide for pediatric primary care providers to support screening for prenatal exposure to alcohol. The implementation guide offers guidance for a pediatrician's routine family assessment as well as follow up to a positive screen, and solutions to common challenges with screening. Not all children who are prenatally exposed to alcohol develop a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) but many do. Early identification of a child at risk for an FASD is facilitated by screening for prenatal alcohol exposure. The implementation guide is available online at www.aap.org/pae.

    FASD 1-page Resources for Pediatric Clinicians

    In observance of FASD Awareness Month this September, the American Academy of Pediatrics is promoting the FASD 1-page resources for pediatric clinicians. Designed as handouts to supplement the FASD webinar series, the FASD 1-page resources provide information on recognizing the signs of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), caring for children with one of the FASDs, and guiding families and caregivers through the referral process and diagnosis. A recent study estimates that 1%-5% of school children may have an FASD. Early diagnosis and intervention can improve health outcomes.

    Resources for FASD Awareness Month
    In observance of FASD Awareness Month in September, the AAP is promoting the following resources to help pediatricians identify and care for children who were prenatally exposed to alcohol: 

    • The AAP FASD Webinar Series is focused on enhancing education of pediatric primary care clinicians regarding FASDs, including identification and diagnosis, behavioral and developmental issues, and treatment across the lifespan.
    • The AAP FASD Toolkit is designed to help physicians raise awareness, promote surveillance and screening, and ensure that children receive appropriate and timely interventions.
    • The Substance Use Screening and Intervention Implementation Guide was developed to help pediatricians incorporate screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment for use of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and other drugs among adolescent patents and encourage the use of a validated screening tool.

    Alcohol and pregnancy - it's just not worth the risk

    Prenatal exposure to alcohol is the leading preventable cause of birth defects and developmental disabilities. Recent studies estimate that approximately one to five percent of school-aged children live with the neurocognitive, self-regulation and adaptive functioning challenges associated with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). Share the AAP video with your patients to help them understand that alcohol and pregnancy is just not worth the risk.

  • September 9, 2019

    ​Training for FASD Awareness Month

    FASD Training Available for AAP Chapters

    For FASD Awareness Month in September, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Program is highlighting training to address the lifelong effects of prenatal alcohol exposure. This is an opportunity for chapters to engage one of the AAP FASD champions and learn from subject matter experts. With the many lasting ways fetal alcohol exposure can affect children, early access to treatment, resources, and supportive, integrated care can make a lifetime of difference. Training webinars on neurobehavioral disorder associated with prenatal alcohol exposure (ND-PAE), recognizing the physical features of FASDs, and lifelong care for individuals with an FASD are available now! Contact Josh Benke, FASD program manager, at jbenke@aap.org or 630-626-6081 for more information and to schedule training for your chapter.

    Free Online Training Courses on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

    The AAP is pleased to promote free trainings on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) from our partners at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC, in partnership with the Collaborative for Alcohol-Free Pregnancy, launched a training website in 2018 to support healthcare professionals in the prevention, diagnosis, and care management of children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). These free, online trainings are available for pediatricians, pediatric clinicians, and other healthcare providers who work with kids and families living with the effects of prenatal exposure to alcohol. The courses provide continuing education credits and allow learners the flexibility to complete the trainings at their own pace.

    For more information and to access the courses and related resources, please visit CDC's FASD Training page at www.cdc.gov/fasdtraining.

    Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders – Recognizing Behavioral Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure

    Recent studies estimate that approximately one to five percent of school-aged children live with the neurocognitive, self-regulation and adaptive functioning challenges associated with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). Learn how pediatric medical home clinicians can identify, diagnose and/or refer potentially affected children and address potential comorbidities. This course also familiarizes learners with the proposed mental health diagnosis, Neurobehavioral Disorder Associated with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (ND-PAE).

    View complete course details and more information: http://bit.ly/FASD-PAE

  • September 6, 2019

    Join the American Academy of Pediatrics to celebrate Women in Medicine month! This webinar will discuss the contributions of women pediatricians as well as gender specific issues related to wellness, leadership, and equity. Join the expert panel to hear strategies for your organization and how the AAP is supporting women in pediatrics!
    Monday, September 9, 2019 7pm CT
    Click here to register.


  • September 4, 2019

    ​New Podcast Series! Gaining Ground: The Primary Care Pediatrician's Role in Public Health Systems of Care for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs

    Developed by the National Resource Center for Patient/Family-Centered Medical Home, faculty in this 3-part podcast series discusses real-life examples, strategies, and opportunities to develop partnership between Title V MCH / CYSHCN programs, primary care pediatricians, and families. Faculty provide an overview of the history and current functions of state Title V MCH / CYSHCN programs as well as benefits of multi-disciplinary partnerships. Tools and resources discussed during the series have been compiled and are free and accessible to the public. 

  • September 4, 2019

    ​Mark Del Monte named CEO of American Academy of Pediatrics 

    The AAP Board of Directors has named Mark D. Del Monte, J.D., CEO/Executive Vice President (EVP) of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Del Monte has served as the organization's interim CEO since July 2018. 

    Prior to being named interim CEO, he served as AAP chief deputy and senior vice president for Advocacy and External Affairs, directing communications, public relations and advocacy activities.  

    For more information, click here to access the complete AAP News article. 

  • August 22, 2019

    ​WEBINAR: Early Childhood Education - Partnering Up to Amplify Impact

    Thursday, August 29th, 2019

    2:00pm - 3:30pm ET

    High-quality early childhood education has a positive impact on lifelong health and wellbeing. This educational webinar will: 

    • provide an overview of evidence demonstrating the impact of high-quality early childhood education on health outcomes
    • state challenges and proposed solutions for managing and funding early childhood programs, and
    • explore public-private partnerships supporting and amplifying early childhood initiatives. 

    To register for this webinar, click here. 

  • August 8, 2019

    New Promising Practice and Podcast! 

    Multidisciplinary Care Coordination Training for Children with Medical Complexity: The Arizona Experience​

    Developed as part of the National Resource Center for Patient/Family-Centered Medical Home Promising Practices in Pediatric Medical Home Initiative, this profile describes how a pediatric medical center and state Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Title V/Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) program in Arizona collaborated to implement care coordination for children with medical complexity and their families. A pre-recorded, audio only podcast includes a conversation with leaders from the Arizona experience regarding multidisciplinary care coordination training for children with medical complexity (CMC). State MCH Title V/CYSHCN programs, pediatricians, families, and other pediatric stakeholders can learn practical, replicable strategies about care coordination implementation.

  • August 8, 2019

    ​Firearm-Related Injury and Death in the United States: A Call to Action From the Nation's Leading Physician and Public Health Professional Organizations

    This article, coauthored by 7 major medical groups (including the AAP), offers clear recommendations and action items to promote gun safety and address gun violence. These recommendations stem largely from the individual positions previously approved by the coauthoring organizations and ongoing collaborative discussion among their leaders

  • August 7, 2019

    PCO Webinar: What Every Pediatrician Needs to Know About Child Passenger Safety

    Don't miss this month’s free Pediatric Care Online (PCO) webinar:

    What Every Pediatrician Needs to Know About Child Passenger Safety
    Wednesday, August 21, 2019
    1:00 - 2:00 pm EDT
     
    We invite you to join us on Wednesday, August 21, at 1:00 pm EDT when Benjamin Hoffman, MD, FAAP, CPST-I discusses child passenger safety. By the end of this webinar, viewers should be able to:
    1. Discuss basic principles of child passenger safety (CPS) science, including:
      • Epidemiology
      • Physics
      • Anatomy and physiology of children
      • Crash dynamics
    2. List 5 ways car safety seats help prevent injury to children.
    3. Discuss best practice recommendations for appropriate child passenger restraint.
    4. Identify and access CPS resources in your community, including for children with special health care needs.

    To view the webinar on Wednesday, August 21, please click here or use the following url: https://event.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1254250&tp_key=2661e4c765

 BRIGHT FUTURES/AAP PERIODICITY SCHEDULE (UPDATED MARCH 2019)
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Recommendations for Preventive Pediatric Health Care in Practice​

 About Bright Futures Video

 CORE PRACTICE TOOLS
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Access Core Tools for Each Well-Child Visit

  • Previsit Questionnaires
  • Visit Documentation Forms
  • Parent/Patient Education Handouts
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