American Academy of Pediatrics Offers Recommendations to Pediatricians on Managing Patient Relationships

The American Academy of Pediatrics published a clinical report that helps pediatricians maintain professional boundaries with their patients and families. The report updates information first shared in 2009 noting that the pediatrician-patient-family relationship is constantly evolving, and that parents’ expectations, social and political factors have shifted the landscape. The report, “New and Evolving Dimensions in the Pediatrician-Family-Patient Relationship: Maintaining and Managing Boundaries: Clinical Report,” published in the June 2025 edition of Pediatrics (published online on June 23), differentiates between small boundary violations, such as sharing a personal story, and serious boundary violations when the power imbalance inherent in these relationships is exploited. While serious boundary violations are never acceptable, some small boundary violations can be permitted if doing so could help the patient and the decision is carefully considered. The AAP advises against accepting friend requests from current patients or their families on personal social media accounts, since it can blur professional boundaries. However, professional social media accounts used to share health information can be a positive route of connection with patients. Advocating for issues impacting children’s health is part of the pediatrician’s role in promoting the well-being of their patients. The overarching goal should always be to maintain healthy boundaries with the amount of trust and respect these crucial relationships require. Clinical reports created by AAP are written by medical experts, reflect the latest evidence in the field, and go through several rounds of peer review before being approved by the AAP Board of Directors and published in Pediatrics.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 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.