Pediatricians in partnership with parents can develop a whole-health approach within trusting long-term relationships
ITASCA, IL--The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) encourages pediatricians to integrate mental, emotional and relational health into their approach with patients beginning in infancy and continuing throughout adolescence as part of a whole health approach.
A new clinical report, “Framework for Approaching Healthy Mental and Emotional Development in Pediatrics,” is especially timely, publishing in the May 2026 Pediatrics at the beginning of Mental Health Awareness Month. The report, published online April 27, observes that more children are experiencing mental and emotional health concerns and specialized resources are often difficult to access.
The goals of Mental Health Awareness Month are to reduce associated stigma, provide education and encourage access to care. The AAP report outlines how pediatricians can support families by taking a broad approach to a child’s emotional health rather than waiting until challenges arise or diagnosing and treating discrete conditions or disorders only.
“Mental and emotional development isn’t something to address only when concerns arise or when there’s a crisis. It’s a core part of caring for children from infancy through adolescence,” said Evelyn Berger-Jenkins, MD, MPH, FAAP, lead author of the report, written by the AAP Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health and Section on Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics.
“Children develop resilience with support of social and emotional skills they develop over time. Pediatricians and parents can work as partners in helping children navigate their journey toward adulthood, focusing intently on ‘what is strong’ and not solely on ‘what is wrong,’” she said.
The clinical report provides a stepped approach that may be helpful for addressing mental and emotional health concerns in pediatrics and acknowledges that advocacy is needed to expand mental and emotional resources widely.
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.
The AAP recommends incorporating mental and emotional development into every pediatric visit, not just times of concern. This can be accomplished through anticipatory guidance, surveillance, screening and brief interventions, and done in ways that are trauma-informed, equitable and free of bias. The report also highlights the value of collaboration with integrated health providers, schools and communities.
“A key element to this framework is recognizing that parents and pediatricians work best as partners—listening to concerns, sharing decisions, and building resilience together through trust and longstanding relationships,” Dr. Berger-Jenkins said.
##
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.