Military families experience unique forms of stress, especially when one or both parents are deployed. Within the military health system, the pattern of well-child health visits changes when a parent is deployed, according to the study, “Effects of Parental Military Deployment on Pediatric Outpatient and Well-Child Visit Rates,” published in the July issue of Pediatrics (appearing online June 7).

Researchers studied 169,986 children younger than 2 years of age from 2007 to the time of parental deployment. Children of single parents had decreased rates of outpatient visits during deployment. Children of married parents, however, had increased rates of both outpatient and well-child visits during parental deployment. There was a distinct interaction between parental marital status and deployment, most significant among parents younger than 24 years of age.

Study authors determined that the military medical communities and military social services should seek out families with young, single parents who might lack the social networks and financial resources to help them cope with the stress associated with deployment.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org.