PEDIATRICS· 2026Q1
Health Care for Immigrant Children: Discussing Birth Country During Pediatric Appointments
- 0citations
- Q1SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
Pediatricians should ask about a child's birth country to inform screening for conditions like lead poisoning, viral hepatitis, and TB, especially given heightened fears among immigrant families.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Key points
- Birth country information is vital for recommending screenings for lead, viral hepatitis, and TB.
- Pediatricians may lack confidence in asking about a child's nativity.
- Current US political climate increases fear of detention/deportation among immigrant families.
- Recommendations include asking about nativity when medically relevant, explaining the rationale, and limiting documentation.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Information about a child’s country of birth (also called nativity) is highly relevant to pediatric care, as it informs the recommendations pediatricians will make regarding screening for serious conditions such as elevated blood lead levels, viral hepatitis, and tuberculosis. However, pediatricians may be uncertain how to respectfully inquire about a child’s birth country. These uncertainties have been amplified in the current US political climate in which many immigrant families have heightened fear of detention and deportation. We suggest pediatricians ask about nativity when it shapes health care recommendations, use family-centered practices such as explaining the medical rationale for the question, and limit documentation to what is medically necessary. These recommendations are informed by prior publications; consultations with immigrant parents, youth, and community leaders; and health professionals with expertise in immigrant child health.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. PEDIATRICS, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Clinical Psychology
Clinical PsychologyPsychology