AAP News

12/19/2025

PediaLink is celebrating 25 years by getting ready to launch a new mobile app to increase accessibility to PREP resources. Learn more:

As PediaLink celebrated its 25th anniversary this year, its editorial board continued to look to the future with the impending launch of the PREP mobile app in 2026.

12/19/2025

Teen substance use in 2025 remained low for the fifth consecutive year, according to new data from the annual Monitoring the Future Survey. Learn more:

He**in and co***ne use increased from last year but remained low overall. Alcohol, cannabis and ni****ne va**ng stayed steady.

12/18/2025

The AAP continued to stand up for science-based vaccine policies and access to vaccines during a hearing in federal court on Wednesday.

Attorneys for the AAP and other medical groups told a U.S. district court judge in Boston that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s changes to immunization schedules and improper appointment of vaccine advisers are causing ongoing harm. The judge is expected to rule in early January if the lawsuit the AAP and other groups filed against Kennedy and other health officials in July can proceed. Read more: https://bit.ly/49kMS2k

Attorneys for the AAP and other medical groups told a U.S. district court judge in Boston that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s changes to immunization schedules and improper appointment of vaccine advisers are causing ongoing harm.

12/18/2025

2025 has been a tumultuous time for public health. AAP News has documented it all. Take a look at the top 10 most-read stories on the AAP News website in 2025:

The past year has been a tumultuous time for public health with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at the helm of the Department of Health and Human Services.

12/17/2025

AAP News is getting a makeover in the new year! It’s a fresh look, but the same trusted news you know and love. Stay tuned!

12/17/2025

Trauma-informed care principles can be adapted to provide pediatricians with a framework for improving care for youth with autism. Learn about practical strategies to implement trauma-informed care developed by autistic self-advocates and researchers: https://bit.ly/4pG1mQg

Drawing on trauma-informed practices, pediatricians can provide effective, empathetic care for autistic children and prevent what can become medical trauma.

12/17/2025

A statement from AAP President Dr. Susan J. Kressly on the CDC’s decision to adopt ACIP’s harmful hepatitis B birth dose recommendation:

“Since the ACIP voted to downgrade the recommendation for a birth dose of Hepatitis B vaccine, pediatricians are already reporting more parents declining to give their child this critical dose. The result, tragically, will be more children who are exposed to Hepatitis B during their early years. As a pediatrician, this is heartbreaking when we have a vaccine that can prevent so many infections, and it is deeply disappointing to see the continued dismissal of expertise to inform recommendations that have broad implications on the health of America's children.”

The AAP continues to recommend giving newborns a dose of hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth with additional doses at 1-2 months and 6-18 months. Read more in AAP News: https://publications.aap.org/aapnews/news/33980?autologincheck=redirected

12/16/2025

Weeks after ByHeart infant formula was recalled, the product was still found on store shelves in several states, raising questions about what safeguards are in place to prevent the sale of recalled products. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4qaB2NI

Weeks after a nationwide infant formula recall was announced, the Food and Drug Administration warned consumers that the product was still being found on shelves at major retail stores.

12/15/2025

For years, pediatricians have faced hurdles in getting paid for immunization counseling when no immunization is administered. That will change on Jan. 1 when three new Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes take effect. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3XWVoOK

Code selection is based on the total time spent counseling on immunizations that ultimately were not administered on the date of counseling.

12/12/2025

A new CDC report reveals that pediatric flu deaths in the 2024-’25 season tied a record high. A newly reported death from last season brings the 2024-’25 total to 288, which is higher than any other regular flu season since tracking started in 2004. Last season’s pediatric deaths include at least 21 children who had a rare but severe neurological complication from the flu.

The first child death has also been reported for the current season. The death occurred in late November and was associated with influenza A, according to the CDC report. Read more in AAP News: https://bit.ly/494O6i5

12/12/2025

Pediatricians received the lowest compensation across primary care specialties in 2024, according to Doximity’s 2025 Physician Compensation Report. Pediatric subspecialists’ pay also was substantially lower than adult specialists. Learn more:

A recent report shows pay for pediatricians remains stagnant, need for Medicaid reform and other system changes.

12/11/2025

Federal investigators have determined that 10 cases of infant botulism dating back to December 2023 are linked to ByHeart infant formula, bringing the total case count to 51. All ByHeart products were recalled on November 11. Parents should seek immediate medical care if a child who has consumed the recalled formula develops any of these symptoms: poor feeding, loss of head control, difficulty swallowing or decreased facial expression. Learn more: https://bit.ly/48Qdl6E

Investigators identified 51 cases of infant botulism linked to ByHeart products; no deaths reported.