pediatrics research articles

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Incidence and development of validated mortality prediction model among asphyxiated neonates admitted to neonatal intensive care unit at Felege Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Bahir Dar, Northwest Ethiopia, 2021: retrospective follow-up study

Perinatal asphyxia is failure to maintain normal breathing at birth. World Health Organization indicates that perinatal asphyxia is the third major cause of neonatal mortality in developing countries accountin...

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Optimizing care for children with difficult-to-treat and severe asthma through specialist paediatric asthma centres: expert practical experience and advice

Severe asthma in children carries an unacceptable treatment burden, yet its rarity means clinical experience in treating it is limited, even among specialists. Practical guidance is needed to support clinical ...

Screening for symptoms of childhood traumatic stress in the primary care pediatric clinic

Childhood traumatic experiences may result in post-traumatic stress disorder. Although pediatricians are encouraged to address these traumas in clinical encounters, measures of childhood traumatic stress have ...

Evaluating the association between duration of breastfeeding and fine motor development among children aged 20 to 24 months in Butajira, Ethiopia: a case-control study

A Suitable environment and proper child nutrition are paramount to a child’s physical and mental development. Different environmental factors contribute to proper child development. Breast milk is an important...

Exploring the diagnostic value of ultrasound radiomics for neonatal respiratory distress syndrome

Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS) is a prevalent cause of respiratory failure and death among newborns, and prompt diagnosis is imperative. Historically, diagnosis of NRDS relied mostly on typical ...

Umbilical cord blood cell characteristics in very preterm neonates for autologous cell therapy of preterm-associated complications

There are emerging clinical evidence for umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells (UCBMNCs) intervention to improve preterm complications. The first critical step in cell therapy is to obtain high-quality cells....

Evaluation of differential renal function in children – a comparative study between magnetic resonance urography and dynamic renal scintigraphy

Urinary system anomalies, both congenital and acquired, constitute a relatively common clinical problem in children. The main role of diagnostic imaging is to determine early diagnosis and support therapeutic ...

Clinical analysis of acute poisoning in children

The clinical characteristics of hospitalized children with acute poisoning were analyzed to provide a reference for preventing poisoning and seeking effective prevention and treatment.

Predicting factors for acute encephalopathy in febrile seizure children with SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant: a retrospective study

SARS-CoV-2 posed a threat to children during the early phase of Omicron wave because many patients presented with febrile seizures. The study aimed to investigate predicting factors for acute encephalopathy of...

Risk factors of necrotizing enterocolitis in twin preterm infants

This study was aimed to investigate the risk factors of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in twin preterm infants.

Spontaneous tumor lysis syndrome (STLS) during biopsy for burkitt lymphoma: a case report

Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) is a hematologic oncological emergency characterized by metabolic and electrolyte imbalances. On breakdown of tumor cells, enormous amounts of potassium, phosphate, and nucleic acids...

Pre-lacteal feeding practice and associated factors among mothers having children aged less than six months in Dilla town, Southern Ethiopia

Pre-lacteal feeding, the introduction of liquids or non-breast milk foods before establishing regular breastfeeding, poses significant risks to newborns, depriving them of vital nutrients and the protective be...

Clinical application of middle descending colon-double lumen ostomy with distal stoma narrowing in the treatment of anorectal malformation

Anorectal malformations (ARMs) are the most common congenital anomaly of the digestive tract. And colostomy should be performed as the first-stage procedure in neonates diagnosed with intermediate- or high-typ...

Safety and efficacy of trofinetide in Rett syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Rett syndrome is a rare genetic neurodevelopmental disorder that predominantly impacts females. It presents with loss of acquired skills, impaired communication, and stereotypic hand movements. Given the limit...

Serum cholesterol level as a predictive biomarker for prognosis of Neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma (NB), a type of solid tumor in children, has a poor prognosis. Few blood biomarkers can accurately predict the prognosis, including recurrence and survival, in children with NB. In this study, we...

Diagnostic significance of cerebrospinal fluid flow cytometry in Chinese children with B lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Central nervous system leukemia (CNSL) is one of the major causes of the poor prognosis of childhood leukemia. We aimed to compare the sensitivity of cytomorphology (CM) and flow cytometry (FCM) in diagnosing ...

Langerhans cell histiocytosis in children with refractory diarrhoea and hypoalbuminaemia as the initial presentation: two case reports and a literature review

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) involving the gastrointestinal tract is a rare condition for which clinical experience is limited. We describe the cases of two patients who initially presented with chronic...

Academic performance and musculoskeletal pain in adolescents with uncorrected vision problems

Undetected vision problems are common in school children, and a prevalence of up to 40% has previously been reported. Uncorrected vision and lack of optimal eye wear can have a significant impact on almost all...

Spatiotemporal modeling of under-five mortality and associated risk factors in Ethiopia using 2000–2016 EDHS data

The under-five mortality rate serves as a key indicator of the performance of a country’s healthcare system. Despite a minor decline, Ethiopia continues to face a persistently high under-five mortality rate ac...

The assessment of microbial infection in children with autism spectrum disorders and genetic folate cycle deficiency

The results of disparate clinical studies indicate abnormally frequent cases of certain microorganisms in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, these data require clarification and systematiz...

Can low-dose intravenous immunoglobulin be an alternative to high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin in the treatment of children with newly diagnosed immune thrombocytopenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) is a first-line treatment for children with newly diagnosed immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). Higher doses of IVIg are associated with a more insupportable financial burden to pe...

A review of the current policies and guidance regarding Apgar scoring and the detection of jaundice and cyanosis concerning Black, Asian and ethnic minority neonates

Ethnic inequalities in maternal and neonatal health in the UK are well documented. Concerns exist regarding the use of skin colour in neonatal assessments. Healthcare professionals should be trained to recogni...

Correction: Mortality and associated factors among children admitted to an intensive care unit in muhimbili national hospital, from the time of admission to three months after discharge: a prospective cohort study

The original article was published in BMC Pediatrics 2024 24 :170

Renal toxicity of ifosfamide in children with cancer: an exploratory study integrating aldehyde dehydrogenase enzymatic activity data and a wide-array urinary metabolomics approach

Ifosfamide is a major anti-cancer drug in children with well-known renal toxicity. Understanding the mechanisms underlying this toxicity could help identify children at increased risk of toxicity.

Social withdrawal behaviour in Nepalese infants and the relationship with future neurodevelopment; a longitudinal cohort study

Social withdrawal in infants may be a signal of distress and a precursor for non-optimal development.

Infantile-onset pompe disease: a case report emphasizing the role of genetic counseling and prenatal testing

Pompe disease, classified as glycogen storage disease type II, arises from a deficiency in the acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA) enzyme, leading to glycogen accumulation in multiple tissues. The unique correlation ...

Gut microbiota profiling in obese children from Southeastern China

Childhood obesity not only has a negative impact on a child's health but is also a significant risk factor for adult obesity and related metabolic disorders, making it a major global public health concern. Rec...

Proportion of vitamin D deficiency in children/adolescents with type 1 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The impact of vitamin D on type 1 diabetes has been a controversial topic in public health. Furthermore, significant differences in the proportion of vitamin D have been noted. The purpose of this systematic r...

The assessment of preschool children with ESSENCE symptoms: concordance between parents, preschool teachers and child psychologists

It is important to detect children with Early Symptomatic Syndromes Eliciting Neurodevelopmental Clinical Examinations (ESSENCE) in order to implement early intervention and support for the child and family. S...

NLRC4 methylation and its response to intravenous immunoglobulin therapy in Kawasaki disease: a case control study

Kawasaki disease (KD) is a systemic vasculitis accompanied by many systemic physiological and biochemical changes. Elucidating its molecular mechanisms is crucial for diagnosing and developing effective treatm...

Aberrant SOX10 and RET expressions in patients with Hirschsprung disease

HSCR is a complex genetic disorder characterized by the absence of ganglion cells in the intestine, leading to a functional obstruction. It is due to a disruption of complex signaling pathways within the gene ...

Awareness and healthcare seeking behavior of neonatal danger signs, and predictor variables among mothers/caregivers in four developing regional state of Ethiopia

: Mothers/caregivers should be aware of a newborn’s danger signs and promptly seek medical attention. Hence, this study assessed mothers’/caregivers’ awareness, healthcare seeking behaviors for neonatal danger...

Postnatal care and acceptability of emollient therapy in very low birthweight infants in Harare, Zimbabwe: a qualitative analysis

Preterm birth (birth before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy) is the leading cause of neonatal and child under-five mortality globally, both of which are highest regionally in sub-Saharan Africa. The skin barri...

Clinical features and treatment options for pediatric adrenal incidentalomas: a retrospective single center study

The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical features and treatment options for pediatric adrenal incidentalomas(AIs) to guide the diagnosis and treatment of these tumors.

Relationship between vitamin D levels and pediatric celiac disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The relationship between Vitamin D levels and pediatric celiac disease (CD) remains controversial. In this study, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the relationship between Vitamin ...

The footprint of SARS-COV-2 infection in neonatal late sepsis

Predicting and finding the viral agents responsible for neonatal late-sepsis has always been challenging.

Values of serum intestinal fatty acid-binding protein, fecal calprotectin, and fecal human β-defensin 2 for predicting necrotizing enterocolitis

This study aimed to assess the diagnostic potential of serum intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP), fecal calprotectin (FC), and fecal human β-defensin 2 (hBD2) in predicting necrotizing enterocolitis...

Novel PIP5K1C variant identified in a Chinese pedigree with lethal congenital contractural syndrome 3

Biallelic pathogenic variants in PIP5K1C (MIM #606,102) lead to lethal congenital contractural syndrome 3 (LCCS3, MIM #611,369), a rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder characterized by small gestational age,...

Persian version of brief infant sleep questionnaire (BISQ): a psychometric evaluation

The high prevalence of sleep problems and their negative consequences on children and parents highlight the need to design early screening instruments to evaluate sleep problems in early childhood. We aimed to...

Diabetes-related instrument to assess preventive behaviors among adolescents (DIAPBA): a tool development and psychometric research

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic but preventable disease that is on the rise among adolescents. Evaluating adolescents’ behavior and planning to prevent it require a valid and reliable instrument. This study aims ...

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) post-COVID-19 in Iran: clinical profile, cardiac features, and outcomes

In April 2020, an association between multisystem inflammatory syndromes (MIS-C) was observed in children with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection (SARS-CoV-2). Most patients had heart invo...

Correlation analysis between the amniotic fluid contamination and clinical grading of neonatal hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy and biomarkers of brain damage

Amniotic fluid contamination (AFC) is a risk factor for neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE); however, the correlation between AFC level and the incidence and clinical grading of HIE, in addition to ...

Use of antimicrobials in pediatric wards of five Brazilian hospitals

The use of antimicrobials (AMs) in pediatric infections is common practice and use may be inappropriate leading to antimicrobial resistance. Off-label AM use is also common in this group and can result in drug...

Quantifying health facility service readiness for small and sick newborn care: comparing standards-based and WHO level-2 + scoring for 64 hospitals implementing with NEST360 in Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, and Tanzania

Service readiness tools are important for assessing hospital capacity to provide quality small and sick newborn care (SSNC). Lack of summary scoring approaches for SSNC service readiness means we are unable to...

This article is part of a Supplement: Volume 23 Supplement 2

The association of dietary carbohydrate quality and quantity with obesity among Iranian adolescents: a case-control study

Adolescent obesity is considered as a major health concern worldwide which is closely linked to the quality of diet. The purpose of the present study was to assess the carbohydrate quality and quantity in rela...

Primary-school-aged children inspire their peers and families to eat more vegetables in the KiiDSAY project: a qualitative descriptive study

While vegetable intakes in Australia remain sub-optimal across all age groups, children are rarely consulted about their ideas on how to increase consumption. Qualitative research involving children provides a...

Study protocol for the ACTIVE SCHOOL study investigating two different strategies of physical activity to improve academic performance in Schoolchildren

Previous research has suggested that school-based physical activity (PA) interventions may have a positive impact on academic performance. However, existing literature on school-based interventions encompasses...

Vacuum bell therapy for pectus excavatum: a retrospective study

Pectus excavatum, the most common chest wall deformity, is frequently treated with Nuss procedure. Here we will describe non-invasive procedure and analyze the variables associated vacuum bell therapy for pati...

Association between parental feeding styles, body mass index, and consumption of fruits, vegetables and processed foods with mothers´ perceptions of feeding difficulties in children

Feeding difficulties (FDs) are complex phenomena influenced by parental factors, feeding behaviour, and cultural factors. However, studies of the influences of these factors on FDs incidence are scarce. Thus, ...

The first pineoblastoma case report of a patient with Sotos syndrome harboring NSD1 germline mutation

Germline mutations of NSD1 are associated with Sotos syndrome, characterized by distinctive facial features, overgrowth, and developmental delay. Approximately 3% of individuals with Sotos syndrome develop tumors...

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The state and future of pediatric research—an introductory overview

Esther m. speer.

1 Department of Pediatrics, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY USA

Lois K. Lee

2 Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA

Florence T. Bourgeois

3 Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA USA

Daniel Gitterman

4 Public Policy, University of North Caroline, Chapel Hill, NC USA

William W. Hay, Jr.

5 University of Colorado, Denver, CO USA

Jonathan M. Davis

6 Department of Pediatrics and the Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA USA

Joyce R. Javier

7 Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA USA

Associated Data

All data pertaining to this report are contained in this special article.

• This is an introduction to an article series devoted to the current state and future of pediatric research.
• The role of public–private partnerships, influencing factors, challenges, and recent trends in pediatric research are described, with emphasis on funding, drug and device development, physician-scientist training, and diversity.
• Potential solutions and advocacy opportunities are discussed.

Introduction

Children have unique and rapidly changing physical, psychosocial, and developmental needs. Addressing early-life diseases and adverse childhood experiences has lifelong benefits for individuals, families and communities. This may also limit or even prevent many chronic adult-onset diseases that originate in early life. However, most pediatric researchers face financial, regulatory, institutional, ethical, and career challenges (Table  1 ), placing pediatric research at a distinct disadvantage compared to adult investigations (Fig.  1 ).

Current challenges and potential solutions to promote pediatric research.

The most important factors are highlighted as bold text.

I-ACT for Children Institute for Advanced Clinical Trials in Children, IMG international medical graduate, NIH National Institutes of Health, RCT randomized controlled trial, SHIP-MD System of Hospitals for Innovation in Pediatrics-Medical Devices.

Factors influencing pediatric research, pediatric health and disease, as well as adult health and disease are illustrated with arrows.

Federal research funding

Pediatric research funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the largest public funding agency worldwide, has been historically low compared to funding for adult diseases. 1 , 2 Although pediatric NIH spending has increased over time, the purchasing power of their pediatric and perinatal research portfolio declined by 15.9% and 12.4%, respectively from 2004 to 2015. 2 Fortunately, pediatric funding has recently significantly increased due to fiscal and legislative responsiveness requiring NIH to report pediatric research spending annually. 3 Nonetheless, high inflation and the COVID-19 pandemic may place future pediatric research funding at risk. Furthermore, priorities for federal pediatric research support may need to be adjusted to account for rapidly changing healthcare needs 4 and pediatric disease burden. 5

Drug and device development

Pediatric drug and device development continues to lag behind programs addressing adult conditions. Industry-sponsored trials involving children remain limited due to expected lower profitability. Heightened regulatory, ethical, and safety standards for clinical trials involving pregnant women and children, and issues with obtaining parental informed consent and child assent highlight the considerable challenges. Most pediatric diseases are considered rare, which often results in trial prolongation and inadequate enrollment. 6 Pre-clinical models for many childhood diseases are lacking and designing pediatric studies requires multiple stakeholders; outcome measures are not uniformly standardized 7 and assessing the impact of interventions on neurodevelopmental outcomes can require years of follow-up. Many pediatric clinical research sites do not enroll a single patient, often due to limitations with a highly trained workforce. Consequently, most drugs and devices used in children are not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and approximately two-thirds of FDA-approved drugs and biologics with indications relevant to children are marketed for longer than 5 years without adequate pediatric safety and efficacy labeling. 8 Likewise, most FDA approvals of high-risk pediatric devices are based on adult trials, with few children exposed to these devices before market availability. 9

To address these shortcomings, several legislative and regulatory changes have been enacted. The Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act (2002) incentivizes pharmaceutical companies to test drugs in children by giving them an additional 6 months of market exclusivity. The Pediatric Research Equity Act (2003) and the NIH Inclusion Across the Lifespan Policy (2017) mandate the inclusion of participants of all ages in human subject research. Several public–private partnerships and other national/international research collaborations have recently emerged, designed to streamline pediatric clinical trial processes and drug and device development. These include the International Neonatal Consortium (oversight by the Critical Path Institute), a global collaboration that focuses on novel regulatory pathways for evaluating the safety and effectiveness of neonatal therapies, 10 the FDA-sponsored System of Hospitals for Innovation in Pediatrics-Medical Devices initiative to accelerate pediatric device development, and the Institute for Advanced Clinical Trials for Children to facilitate multicenter studies for pediatric drug development.

Perspective of academic institutions

Academic medical institutions face increasing financial constraints due to: (1) external competition, (2) expanded regulatory requirements, (3) limited funding, (4) rising provider costs, (5) the need to educate junior physician-scientists, (6) increased costs of conducting high-quality research, and (7) providing medical care to a diverse population with limited reimbursement. 11 , 12 Pediatric departments are especially impacted by financial burdens due to increasing proportions of Medicaid recipients, heightened consumer expectations and regulatory requirements, limited NIH and industry funding, and escalating medical costs. 11 These limitations can reduce support for pediatric research infrastructure and training. New organizational and aligned strategic funding models incorporating departmental research support may help to overcome these challenges. 11 Improved federal funding is also essential to train the pediatric physician workforce, as requested by the American Hospital Association and 25 other healthcare organizations. 13

Physician-scientist training

Pediatric NIH funding is increasingly concentrated in relatively few research-intensive institutions, challenging diversity in research and further impacting the physician-scientist pipeline. Over a 5-year period, 15 institutions received 63% of all pediatric R01-equivalent NIH awards. 14 The majority of R01-funded pediatric physician-scientists were male (63.6%), full professors (58%), and held senior leadership positions (24%). Only 15% of pediatric R01-awards were granted to non-professor physician-scientists. 14 Furthermore, the success rate for NICHD career development awards has declined since 2010. 14 The limited support for junior pediatric physician-scientists, compounded by individual career choices and competing clinical responsibilities, has created a declining and aging pediatric research workforce. This may limit future discoveries and innovative therapies for children. 15 Several recent initiatives are now addressing this gap. One example is the National Pediatric Physician-Scientist Collaborative Workgroup, a collaborative of physician-scientists, graduate medical education leaders, department chairs, and trainees from 19 pediatric programs across the US which aims to strengthen the pediatric physician-scientist pipeline. 16 Mentorship at the institutional, regional and national level fosters networking opportunities and support for aspiring pediatric researchers. Another important program includes the NIH Loan Repayment Program to recruit and retain highly qualified health professionals into research careers. Offering early-career formal research education during medical school and physician training can lead to greater future academic productivity and funding success, thus strengthening the physician-scientist workforce. 17

Gender and racial/ethnic diversity

Despite comparable enrollment in medical schools, women account for only 18% of hospital chief executive officers and 16% of all deans and department chairs in the US. 18 Women remain in the minority as senior authors (10%) and editors-in-chief (7%) at high-ranking medical journals. 18 They also comprise less than one-third of NIH-awardees, even though they are as successful as men in obtaining first-time grants. 19 Factors contributing to these disparities include implicit gender bias and institutional policies disadvantaging women. Early-stage investigator or career development grants sponsored by NIH or other funders are limited to scientists who finished their training within 10 years, which disproportionately disadvantages women. 20 Race and ethnicity also impact career trajectories of physician researchers. 21 The Coalition for Pediatric Medical Research is now addressing the need to train the next generation of diverse pediatric researchers. Furthermore, innovative solutions to integrate international medical graduates into the research workforce in addition to increased funding for US-trained physicians represent one strategy to address the current physician-scientist shortage. 22 Finally, clinical studies must be designed to improve the participation of underrepresented populations, 23 to ensure that drugs and devices are studied in target populations who will benefit most from such interventions. This can be accomplished through community-based participatory research including parental engagement for pediatric trials. 24

Dissemination, data sharing and reuse

Timely dissemination of trial results through peer-reviewed publications, registries, and data depositories are imperative to facilitate evidence-based care and decision-making. The FDA Amendments Act (2007) and the NIH require that trials are prospectively registered in CinicalTrials.gov and that summary results of FDA-regulated or NIH-funded interventional trials are made available within 12 months of primary study completion. However, only 39% of registered pediatric trials reported results in peer-reviewed publications and 23.5% in the ClinicalTrials.gov registry by 3 years. 25 Notably, 11% of trials were discontinued early, with recruitment failure as the most common cause. 25 The NIH Policy on Data Sharing (2003) requires a data-sharing plan in all grant applications and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (LCMJE) requires a data-sharing statement. However, less than a third of LCMJE-affiliated journals have implemented a data-sharing policy and only a few published trials provided individual patient data in repositories. 26 , 27 Improved monitoring and incentives for data sharing and timely dissemination of trial results may overcome these problems.

Implications for patient outcomes

High-level evidence from clinical studies remains limited for many pediatric diseases and interventions. Most pediatric studies registered in ClinicalTrials.gov are small-scale, single-center, and not funded by industry or the federal government, which translates into fewer drugs being studied over time. 28 Published pediatric studies involve significantly fewer randomized controlled trials (RCTs), systematic reviews, and therapeutic trials compared to adults. 29 This has significant implications for child health with preterm birth and neonatal infections remaining the leading causes of mortality during the first month of life, accounting for approximately half of the 2.4 million neonatal deaths annually worldwide; there has been limited progress over the past 2 decades due in part to a lack of quality RCTs in this area. 30 – 32

There remains an urgent need to communicate 33 and advocate healthcare institutions, elected officials, funders, and the public that promoting research focused on fetal and early life has lifelong benefits for children, adults, and society. 34 The COVID-19 pandemic has proven that advances in pediatric and adult research can be achieved expediently, especially when governments promote the development of public–private partnerships and global collaboration. Broad support for NIH-sponsored pediatric and perinatal research, enforcement of existing NIH and FDA mandates related to clinical trial reporting, data sharing and reuse, inclusion of children in clinical research, collaborative science, and advocacy hold great promise to advance research and benefit children and future adults.

Author contributions

E.M.S. wrote the initial draft of the manuscript. All authors substantially contributed to the conception and content of the article, critically revised the manuscript for important intellectual content, and approved the final version for publication.

Data availability

Competing interests.

The authors declare no competing interests.

Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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McMaster Child Health Research Day charts the future of pediatric health

From left, researcher Briano Di Rezze, keynote speaker and Edmonton MP Mike Lake, chair of Pediatrics Angelo Mikrogianakis, McMaster Children's Hospital President Bruce Squires, pediatrics researcher Gita Wahi, Hamilton MP Lisa Hepfner, Offord Centre director Stelios Georgiades, and CanChild co-director Olaf Kraus de Camargo at this week's McMaster Child Health Research Day event.

BY Cheryl Crocker

March 28, 2024

More than 130 Health Sciences students, patient family members and special guests gathered to celebrate innovative research and compete for awards this week at the McMaster Child Health Research Day.  

The March 27 event was developed in collaboration with Hamilton’s child health community, including the Department of Pediatrics , the Offord Centre for Child Studies , CanChild , the Centre for Metabolism, Obesity and Diabetes Research , McMaster Children’s Hospital, and St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton.   

More than 125 studies were presented, spanning a significant breadth of topics, including artificial intelligence applications in health, basic science, chronic conditions and mental health interventions.  

“AI is not going anywhere, so we need to find ways to mitigate its effects, especially given the prevalence of online surveys and research,” said third-year undergraduate student Samantha Rutherford, whose study explored ways to stop chatbots from interfering with online data collection — a challenge she recognizes as universal across research fields.  

Researcher Andrea Cross , an assistant professor in the department of Pediatrics, is leading an innovative education program to empower youth and families to engage in health research.  

“Many people who are graduating from the course are now becoming champions and leaders and embedding meaningful family engagement within their communities and organizations,” Cross said.  

The quality of research and students’ passion was impressive, said Hamilton Mountain MP Lisa Hepfner, who served as a guest judge.   

“McMaster shows once again it is at the forefront of health sciences and that it is invested in improving the lives of young people in Canada and around the world.”  

Researcher Featured In This Story

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[Epidemiology and theories of the origin of hypospadias]

Affiliations.

• 1 Department of Pediatric Surgery, N.I. Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University of Minzdrav of Russia, Moscow, Russia.
• 2 Russian Childrens Clinical Hospital of Minzdrav of Russia, Moscow, Russia.
• PMID: 30035435

The increase in the prevalence of hypospadias, which has lasted for several decades, signals the need to find ways to prevent the disease. Development of measures aimed to reduce morbidity is impossible without a unified concept of the etiology and pathogenesis of hypospadias. The article analyzes the existing theories of the origin of hypospadias. According to the literature, there are 5 types of causes of hypospadias, some of which are currently established. Among the causes under investigation, the emphasis is on placental factors.

Keywords: disruption; dysmorphia; endocrinopathy; epidemiology; etiology; hypospadias.

Publication types

• Endocrine Disruptors / toxicity
• Genetic Predisposition to Disease
• Hypospadias / epidemiology*
• Hypospadias / etiology*
• Hypospadias / genetics
• Risk Factors
• Endocrine Disruptors

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The explosion of new research on the interplay between exercise and circadian rhythms

Scientists are uncovering the far-reaching influence of physical activity on our circadian rhythms. They believe the emerging findings have implications both for health and athletic performance.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

When you work out impacts how you sleep, as NPR's Will Stone reports.

WILL STONE, BYLINE: Don't worry, science is not coming after your favorite workout time - at least, not yet - because so far, there's no real consensus about the best time to work out. Katja Lamia, a circadian biologist at Scripps Research, says there's one thing that's absolutely clear.

KATJA LAMIA: Truly, I think the best time to exercise is whenever you're actually going to do it.

STONE: When to work out is actually not at all a straightforward question. Who's exercising? What are you doing?

LAMIA: Definitely depends on what your goals are.

STONE: There is consistent evidence that athletic performance, including strength, peaks in the afternoon. This is when world records tend to be broken. But Raphael Knaier says the existing research is still limited and mostly focuses on young men, so it's hard to generalize. Knaier is an exercise physiologist at the University of Basel.

RAPHAEL KNAIER: The afternoon is the best time on average over a certain population - does not mean that it's the best time for every individual.

STONE: In fact, in one study he did measuring strength and time of day, he asked athletes when they thought their peak performance was.

KNAIER: And almost none of them guessed correctly.

STONE: Exercise timing isn't just relevant for elite competitors. Physical activity, while not as powerful as light, can also influence our circadian rhythms and help keep our body in tune. This extends beyond the central clock and the brain to the peripheral clocks that populate our tissues, from the liver to the heart to our muscles. Karyn Esser has focused on the interplay between muscle clocks and exercise. She's a physiologist at the University of Florida's College of Medicine.

KARYN ESSER: If we're healthy, our clocks are kind of all aligned. You know, they're all in the same time zone. And the problem arises when our clocks get out of phase. You know, the brain clock thinks it's here, and the liver and the pancreas think it's something else.

STONE: This circadian misalignment is linked to chronic diseases, and most of us know the crummy feeling of jetlag. Esser says the muscle clocks steer key functions related to energy and metabolism that fluctuate.

ESSER: It's really part of homeostasis or taking care of business in the cell.

STONE: Meaning it's telling your muscles when they should be primed to go and when they should rest and repair.

ESSER: There is a contribution of the muscle clocks to the muscle performance and to the athletic performance.

STONE: To what extent is hard to say. Research shows the muscle clocks are quite responsive to exercise, and they can adapt.

ESSER: What time those muscles are active actually talks to the muscle clock and helps adjust its phase independent of whatever it's getting from the central clock.

STONE: Of course, muscles aren't the only part of the body involved in exercise, and there are other variables, like whether you tend to be an early riser or late riser. Generally speaking, Esser says it's probably better if you aim to exercise around the same time every day. There's also growing interest in how exercise timing can unlock added health benefits, especially for certain medical conditions. This is what Juleen Zierath is focused on.

JULEEN ZIERATH: What we're trying to understand is how can you fine-tune the exercise prescription?

STONE: Zierath is a professor of physiology at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. She studied the effect of high-intensity training in men with Type 2 diabetes and found an afternoon session improved their blood sugar.

ZIERATH: And surprisingly, when the men performed the exercise in the morning, these same men had a worsening of their blood glucose control.

STONE: She says it's still early days for this type of research, though. And ultimately, it seems like you can't go wrong with any exercise anytime.

Will Stone, NPR News.

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Pediatrics is the official peer-reviewed journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics . Pediatrics publishes original research, clinical observations, and special feature articles in the field of pediatrics, as broadly defined. Contributions pertinent to pediatrics also include related fields such as nutrition, surgery, dentistry, public health, child health services, human genetics, basic sciences, psychology, psychiatry, education, sociology, and nursing.

Pediatrics considers unsolicited manuscripts in the following categories: reports of original research, particularly clinical research; review articles; special articles; and case reports. When preparing a manuscript for Pediatrics , authors must first determine the manuscript type and then prepare the manuscript according to the specific instructions below.

The digital edition of Pediatrics is the journal of record. Some accepted article types may also be presented in full in print, in addition to the digital edition of Pediatrics .

Acceptance Criteria

Relevance to readers is of primary importance in manuscript selection. The readership includes general and specialist pediatricians, pediatric researchers and educators, and child health policy-makers.  Pediatrics  receives many more high-quality manuscripts than can be accommodated in our available space. The acceptance rate is approximately 10%. An article that is thought by the editors to not be relevant to readers, outside of scope, or very unlikely to be accepted may be rejected without review. All manuscripts considered for publication are peer reviewed, including those written by members of the Editorial Board. Peer reviewers are selected by the editors. Selection is based on their expertise in the topic of the manuscript. Generally, at least 2 reviews are required before a decision is rendered. Authors can suggest reviewers who they believe should not review the manuscript but should provide a clear rationale for this request.

Authors should carefully follow instructions for manuscript preparation and ensure that the manuscript is proofread before submission. Manuscripts that do not follow the author instructions will not be considered for review. Careless preparation of a manuscript raises concerns about the quality of the work and makes acceptance less likely. Manuscripts are electronically scanned for plagiarism. Authors will be contacted if there is concern about potential plagiarism. Pediatrics follows the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics for concerns about plagiarism or any other manuscript-related ethical issue.

Manuscripts are judged on the importance, originality, scientific strength, clinical relevance, and clarity of content.  Pediatrics  does not publish manuscripts that focus only on animal research. Refer to the sections below on the particular considerations for each of the manuscript types that appear in the journal. Authors should also consider the comprehensive reporting guidelines for a wide variety of study designs that are available at  http://www.equator-network.org/home/ . These can be helpful in improving manuscript clarity and completeness. Note that authors submitting manuscripts describing adverse drug or medical device events or product problems should also report these to the appropriate governmental agency. Responses to a published article should be submitted as online comments. The editors will determine which comments will be published in the journal as Letters to the Editor.

After the reviews are received, the editors may take one of the following actions:  Accept ;  Accept with Revisions ;  Reject with option to Resubmit ; Reject, or Reject and Transfer (if authors opted to have their manuscript transferred to Hospital Pediatrics in not accepted by Pediatrics ) . A rejected manuscript may not be resubmitted. A manuscript may be rejected with an option to resubmit with extensive revision. The resubmitted manuscript receives an additional round of peer review (which may include new reviewers), and the manuscript may or may not be accepted. A decision of  Accept with Revision  indicates that the editors intend to accept the manuscript contingent on adequate response to reviewers. A decision of  Accept , which is exceedingly rare on first submission, indicates that the manuscript is ready to place into production without further modification. Appeals on decisions will be considered by the editorial board on a case-by-case basis.

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Publication Ethics

Authorship. An “author” is someone who has made substantive intellectual contributions to a published study. Each author is required to meet ALL FOUR of the following criteria:

• Substantial contribution(s) to conception and design, acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data; and
• Drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content; and
• Final approval of the version to be published, and
• Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

NOTE: Acquisition of funding, collection of data, or general supervision of the research group alone does not constitute a sufficient basis for authorship .

All persons listed as authors must meet these criteria, and all persons who meet these criteria must be listed as authors. Articles submitted with an unexpectedly large number of authors invite scrutiny by editors and reviewers for clear justification for the presence of each person on the authorship list. Pediatrics permits a statement of equal contribution for two first authors and two senior authors. On the title page, include asterisks by each name and a statement that reads: * Contributed equally as co-first authors or *Contributed equally as co-senior authors.

Decide authorship issues, including the order, before submission. Pediatrics  does not allow addition or removal of authors or changes to the author order after a manuscript is submitted without explicit approval from the editors.

If published, author names and affiliations will appear as seen in the submitted manuscript Word document and the final typeset proofs. All authors must ensure that their information is correct. 

Conflict of Interest and Disclosure. After a paper is accepted by Pediatrics for publication, all authors must submit conflict of interest and disclosure forms. Pediatrics adheres to the policy and uses the standardized disclosure form of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). The collection of the forms is automated within the online system.

IRB Approval. All studies that involve human subjects must be approved or deemed exempt by an official institutional review board; this should be noted in the Methods section of the manuscript.

Industry Sponsorship . All industry sponsorship must be declared in the manuscript. Manuscripts in which all authors are employed by a commercial entity can raise additional scrutiny from the editorial board. 

Registration of Clinical Trials. All clinical trials must be registered in a World Health Organization-approved Clinical Trial registry prior to enrollment of the first subject. The registry name and registration number should be included on the title page. Reports of unregistered trials will be returned to authors without review. Publication of the results of a trial that was initiated prior to the ICMJE requirement for trial registration will be considered by the editors on a case-by-case basis.

Suspected Errors and Allegations of Misconduct.  Pediatrics follows the processes outlined in the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) flowcharts when investigating suspected errors and allegations of misconduct. Please be aware that all investigations are confidential. If an error has been found or misconduct has been identified, the journal will publicly acknowledge the outcome through an erratum or retraction, depending on the severity of the issue. Investigations that result in no error or misconduct being found will not be publicized.

Editorial Board Members as Authors. The journal allows editorial board members to submit articles for consideration. These articles undergo the same rigorous peer review as all other submissions. The manuscript management system automatically blinds a user with administrative access from viewing a manuscript for which they are an author, so author editorial board members cannot view the manuscript from the administrative side once it has been submitted.

Editor Conflict of Interest:  Journal editors recuse themselves from manuscripts for which they have a conflict of interest.

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools do not qualify for authorship. To qualify, authors must meet all four of the following criteria 1 :

AI tools cannot take responsibility for the accuracy or integrity of a manuscript and, therefore, do not qualify for authorship. 2  

While the use of AI tools is discouraged, if generative AI tools are used in any part of manuscript preparation, from writing to data analysis to image creation, the authors must report it in the Methods and Acknowledgments sections 3 and note use of an AI tool in the cover letter. Identification of AI must include the name and manufacturer of the AI tool and how it was used in relation to the work being submitted. 2 Authors are accountable for the integrity and accuracy of all material in their manuscript, including any content generated by AI. 3

• International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Defining the Role of Authors and Contributors. Available at: https://www.icmje.org/recommendations/browse/roles-and-responsibilities/defining-the-role-of-authors-and-contributors.html. Accessed April 7, 2023
• World Association of Medical Editors. Chatbots, ChatGPT, and Scholarly Manuscripts. Available at: https://wame.org/page3.php?id=106. Accessed April 7, 2023
• Committee on Publication Ethics. Authorship and AI Tools. Available at: https://publicationethics.org/cope-position-statements/ai-author. Accessed April 7, 2023

Use of Inclusive Language

Articles published in Pediatrics should use the most inclusive language possible. These recommendations are intended to guide authors but are not comprehensive. As the preferred terminology related to inclusive language evolves over time, these recommendations will be updated continuously. Please reach out to the editorial office for clarifications or suggestions.    Appropriate Use of Race and/or Ethnicity

The rationale for including race and/or ethnicity in a manuscript should always be provided. Race and ethnicity should be acknowledged as social constructs rather than as genetic or biological categories. In research articles, justification for including race and/or ethnicity should be described in the Methods section. Please also note if reporting race and/or ethnicity is required by the funder. The Methods section should also include a clear explanation of how race and/or ethnicity were assigned (eg, self-report, observation by an investigator or other third-party, electronic health record with uncertain method). Use of “other” as a category for race and/or ethnicity should be clearly defined. It is inappropriate to assign missing race and/or ethnicity to an “other” category. The use of racial and/or ethnic categories in statistical analyses should be justified in the Methods section, and the rationale for the comparator group should also be justified. Results related to race and/or ethnicity should be interpreted in the context of racism (eg, interpersonal, institutional, or internalized) and histories of exclusion, mistreatment, and exploitation, rather than as behaviors or presumed deficits. Please see the AMA Manual of Style Section 11.12.3: Race and Ethnicity for additional considerations.  Inclusive Language

• Person-first language, which emphasizes the individual or group rather than the condition, disease, or situation, should generally be used, eg, “child(ren) with diabetes” and “child(ren) with obesity” rather than “diabetic child(ren)” and “obese child(ren).” Exceptions to first-person language include certain identity-first language for individuals and groups who prefer it, eg, “Deaf child(ren)” or “autistic child(ren).”
• Race and ethnicity categories should be capitalized, including the White race. Race and ethnicity should be used as adjectives rather than nouns, eg, “Hispanic individuals” rather than “Hispanics.”  Race and ethnicity should be treated as separate categories rather than merging them, eg, “race and ethnicity” rather than “race/ethnicity.” 
• Articles that report race and/or ethnicity should use the specific terms used in data collection or in the original study referenced. The terms should be accurate, understandable to study participants, and consistent with participants’ self-understanding. 
• Refer to gender identity using terms such as “cisgender or transgender,” “man or woman,” “gender-nonbinary,” “genderqueer,” or “agender person,” etc., rather than “transgendered,” “transsexual,” or “transvestite.” Refer to the community as “transgender and non-binary” or “gender diverse,” rather than “gender non-conforming.”
• Refer to sexual orientation using specific terms such as “heterosexual,” “lesbian,” “gay,” “bisexual,” “queer,” rather than terms such as “homosexual” or “non-heterosexual.” Refer to the “LGBTQ+ community” rather than the “gay community” unless referencing specific subgroups.  Restrict the use of “men who have sex with men” to refer to behaviors rather than to sexual orientation. 
• Both pregnant women” and “pregnant people” are acceptable terms. Avoid substituting “pregnant women” with phrases such as “birthing people” or “people with uteruses.” Neutral terms, such as “pregnant patients” and “pregnant people” are inclusive alternatives. Authors of research studies should use the specific terms used in data collection or in the original study referenced. 
• If using a medical eponym rather than the scientific terminology, consider historical associations that may make the term problematic. For example, Asperger, Reiter, Wegener, Wiskott-Aldrich, and Rett are Nazi-associated eponyms. If available, consider using a replacement term (eg, reactive arthritis vs. Reiter’s syndrome).

The following table provides suggestions for preferred terms, those to avoid, and rationale for why some terms should be avoided.

Images published in Pediatrics should be as inclusive as possible. Authors should strive to include images that reflect all children, including the full spectrum of skin color.  Historically, the lack of variation in images has contributed to limited understanding of how disease can manifest.

Journal Style

All aspects of the manuscript, including the formatting of tables, illustrations, and references and grammar, punctuation, usage, and scientific writing style, should be prepared according to the most current AMA Manual of Style ( http://www.amamanualofstyle.com ). 1

Author Listing. All authors’ names should be listed in their entirety, and should include institutional/professional affiliations and degrees held. If published, author names and affiliations will appear as seen in the submitted manuscript Word document and the final typeset proofs. All authors must ensure that their information is correct. 

Authoring Groups. To include an authoring group, note the following to ensure all individuals are correctly acknowledged:

• On the title page, list any study group at the end of the author listing, preceded either by "for" or "on behalf of" and followed by an asterisk, such as: "on behalf of the XXXXX Study Group*."
• Add the following line: “*A complete list of study group members appears in the Acknowledgments.” (Alternatively, list these non-author contributors in an Appendix and change the statement accordingly.)
• Ensure that your Acknowledgments section, placed at the end of the main text and before the References, clearly delineates group members and non-group members. For example: "Members of Study Group ABC include: Person 1, Person 2, Person 3, Person 4. We also wish to acknowledge Person 5 and Person 6 for technical editing."
• Do not list the group name as an author in the online metadata section. Only authors who fulfill all four authorship criteria should be included in the online metadata, the title page, and the contributors statement page. These authors should not be included in the acknowledgments, which are reserved for thanking non-author contributors.

Titles.    Pediatrics generally follows the guidelines of the AMA Manual of Style for titles. Titles should be concise and informative, containing the key topics of the work. Declarative sentences are discouraged as they tend to overemphasize a conclusion, as are questions, which are more appropriate for editorials and commentaries. Subtitles, if used, should expand on the title; however, the title should be able to stand on its own. It is appropriate to include the study design (“Randomized Controlled Trial”; “Prospective Cohort Study”, etc.) in subtitles. The location of a study should be included only when the results are unique to that location and not generalizable. Abbreviations and acronyms should be avoided. The full title will appear on the article, the inside table of contents, and in MEDLINE. Full titles are limited to 97 characters, including spaces. Short titles must be provided as well and are limited to 55 characters, including spaces. Short titles may appear on the cover of the journal as space permits in any given issue.

Abbreviations. List and define abbreviations on the Title Page. Unusual abbreviations should be avoided. All terms to be abbreviated in the text should also be spelled out at first mention, followed by the abbreviation in parentheses. The abbreviation may appear in the text thereafter. Abbreviations may be used in the abstract if they occur 3 or more times in the abstract. Abbreviations should be avoided in tables and figures; if used they should be redefined in footnotes.

Units of Measure. Like many US-based journals, Pediatrics uses a combination of Système International (SI) 2,3 and conventional units. Please see the AMA Manual of Style for details.

Proprietary Products. Authors should use nonproprietary names of drugs or devices unless mention of a trade name is pertinent to the discussion. If a proprietary product is cited, the name and location of the manufacturer must also be included.

Page/Line Numbers. Include page numbers and line numbers in your manuscript so that editors and peer reviewers may more easily point out items/revisions. Line numbers may be continuous or restart on each page.

References. Authors are responsible for the accuracy of references. Citations should be numbered in the order in which they appear in the text. Reference style should follow that of the AMA Manual of Style , current edition. Abbreviated journal names should reflect the style of Index Medicus. Visit: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nlmcatalog/journals . If you used reference management software (eg, EndNote) to prepare your manuscript, you must convert the file to plain text prior to submission. Please note: The generated HTML page with the References is for staff/editorial use only; please do not use Word line numbering on your references.

• Iverson C, Christiansen S, Flanagin A, et al. AMA Manual of Style . 10th ed. New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 2007.
• Lundberg GD. SI unit implementation: the next step. JAMA . 1988;260:73-76.
• Système International conversion factors for frequently used laboratory components. JAMA . 1991;266:45-47.

Clinical Trials

A study is considered a clinical trial if it prospectively assigns human subjects (whether randomized or not) to intervention or concurrent comparison or control groups to study the cause-and-effect relationship between a medical intervention and a health outcome. Medical interventions include drugs, surgical procedures, devices, behavioral treatments, process-of-care changes, and the like.

If authors report the results of a clinical trial, they must affirm that the study has been registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov or another WHO-approved national or international registry prior to the enrollment of the first subject. Information on requirements and appropriate registries is available at www.icmje.org . The trial registry name, registration number, and date of registration must be listed on the title page. To facilitate the review, please also provide the web link to the registration on the title page. Please also provide this registration information in the main methods section of the report.

All articles reporting results of clinical trials must include the Data Sharing Statement on their Title Page .

Authors are also required to complete both pages of a CONSORT Form (flowchart and checklist) and submit these with their manuscript. In our submission system, these files appear under “Instructions and Forms.” For observational epidemiological studies, follow the appropriate STROBE checklist .

Download a CONSORT form checklist (PDF) here .

Download a CONSORT form flowchart (PDF) here .

Reuse of Data Sets

If a manuscript uses the same or similar data contained in previously published articles, the authors must state this in the cover letter (and provide citations to the related or possibly duplicative materials).

If a separate manuscript by the same authors using the same data set is under review or accepted but not yet published in another journal, the authors must state this in the cover letter and provide enough information to assure that the manuscript submitted to Pediatrics is not duplicative.

Data Sharing

The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) requires ICMJE journals to include data sharing statements in articles that report results of clinical trials.

Data sharing statements must include:

• Whether deidentified participant data (including data dictionaries) will be shared
• The data that will be shared
• Whether additional documents will be made available
• The start and end dates of data availability
• Access criteria
• How the data will be made available

The data sharing statement must be included on the title page of your manuscript and entered into the section provided in the manuscript management system.

If you will not be sharing your data, insert the following statement on your title page and in the manuscript submission system.

Data Sharing Statement: Deidentified individual participant data will not be made available.

If you will be sharing your data, refer to the table in the data sharing section of the ICMJE clinical trials page for examples of how to incorporate the required information into your statement, and refer to the example below.

Data Sharing Statement: Deidentified individual participant data (including data dictionaries) will be made available, in addition to study protocols, the statistical analysis plan, and the informed consent form. The data will be made available upon publication to researchers who provide a methodologically sound proposal for use in achieving the goals of the approved proposal. Proposals should be submitted to ____________[INSERT EMAIL ADDRESS OR OTHER CONTACT INFORMATION].

Open Access

Pediatrics primarily publishes under the traditional subscription model (Hybrid OA), with a 12-month embargo, but also offers Green OA and Gold OA options. You will be able to state your requirements during the manuscript submission process. Ensure that your OA funds are available before submission. If you have any questions, please reach out to the journal’s editorial staff before final submission.

Formatting Requirements

All submissions must adhere to the following format:

• Typeset in portrait orientation.
• Times New Roman font, size 12, black.
• Title Page, Contributors Statement Page, Abstract, Acknowledgments, and References should be single-spaced.
• Only the Main Body Text should be double-spaced.
• Main Submission Document as a Microsoft Word file (no PDFs).
• Include line and page numbering in your Word document (excluding the References).
• Do not include page headers or footers in new submissions.
• Do not include footnotes within the manuscript body. Footnotes are allowed only in tables/figures.

Refer to the “Article Types” section for specific guidelines on preparing a manuscript in each category. Note in particular the requirements regarding abstracts for different categories of article.

Double-Blind Peer Review Manuscript Formatting

The journal offers the option of selecting single-blind or double-blind peer review. If selecting double-blind peer review, you must prepare your manuscript according to the following guidelines.

• Upload a SEPARATE document (Word format only) containing your complete Title Page and Contributors Statement Page. Include ALL required Title Page and Contributors Statement Page information or your submission will be returned to you for correction.
• When uploading your manuscript, upload the Title Page/Contributors Statement Page first by clicking the “Upload your title page” link.
• Please make sure none of your other files have any identifying information on them, including the name of your institution. If you wish to include acknowledgments, include an Acknowledgments section on the title page (see Title Page).
• In your manuscript file, remove references to the specific institution at which the study was performed and replace those mentions with generic descriptors of the setting as appropriate (eg, our 400-bed freestanding children’s hospital in the southeastern US).

The Title Page should appear first in your manuscript document if selecting single-blind peer review, or as a separate file if selecting double-blind peer review. If you select double-blind peer review and are including acknowledgments, those should appear at the end of the Title Page file. Depending on the individual needs of a paper, the Title Page may encompass more than one page.

Title pages for all submissions must include the following items (as shown in the sample Title Page ):

• Title (97 characters [including spaces] or fewer)
• Author listing. Full names for all authors, including degrees, and institutional/professional affiliations. These affiliations should list the institution where the research presented in the article took place; if the affiliation has changed, add a note indicating the additional affiliation. If published, author names and affiliations will appear as seen in the submitted manuscript Word document and the final typeset proofs; all authors must ensure that their information is correct. Pediatrics permits a statement of equal contribution for two first authors and two senior authors; on the title page, include asterisks by each name and a statement that reads: * Contributed equally as co-first authors or * Contributed equally as co-senior authors.
• Corresponding Author. Contact information for the Corresponding Author (including: name, address, telephone, and e-mail). Note that the affiliation should list the institution where the research presented in the article took place; if the affiliation has changed, add a note indicating the additional affiliation. Pediatrics allows one Corresponding Author only; the position of Corresponding Author does not imply seniority or any other status.
• Short title (55 characters [including spaces] or fewer). Please note: The short title may be used on the cover of the print edition.
• Conflict of Interest Disclosures for all authors. This includes any potential conflicts of interest, any relevant financial relationships, and any other relationships or activities that could be perceived to have influenced the work. If none, say "The authors have no conflicts of interest relevant to this article to disclose.”
• Funding/Support . Research or project support, including internal funding, should be listed here; if the project was done with no specific support, please note that here. Technical and other assistance should be identified in Acknowledgments. If your funding body has open access requirements, please contact the Editorial Office prior to submission. Pediatrics offers Green OA and Gold OA options.
• If applicable, Clinical Trial registry name, registration number, and data sharing statement . We adhere to ICMJE guidelines, which require that all trials must be registered with ClinicalTrials.gov or any other WHO Primary registry. All articles reporting results of clinical trials must also include the Data Sharing Statement .
• Abbreviations . List and define abbreviations used in the text. If none, say "Abbreviations: none".
• Article Summary.  All articles with abstracts require this summary. This brief summary is limited to 25 words. For accepted manuscripts, this will appear under the author names in the table of contents to give the reader a brief insight into what the article is about. It should entice the reader to read the full article. For example: "Through linkage of state Medicaid and Child Protective Services databases, this study captures similarities and differences in health care expenditures based on a history of child maltreatment."
• For Regular Article submissions, include both the “What’s Known on This Subject" and the "What This Study Adds”  summaries (see below under Regular Article type for description). These are not needed for any other article type.

If a title page does not include all of the above items, the submission may be returned to the authors for completion.

• Download and view a sample Title Page here .

Contributors Statement Page

All submissions must contain a Contributors Statement Page, directly following the Title Page(s) and in the specific format described below. Manuscripts lacking a properly formatted Contributors Statement Page will be returned to the authors for correction. If you select double-blind peer review, the Contributors Statement Page should be part of your separate Title Page file.

All persons designated as authors must qualify for authorship ( see "Publication Ethics" above ), and all those who qualify should be listed. Each author should have participated sufficiently in the work to take public responsibility for appropriate portions of the content. The Contributors Statement Page lists the authors and specifies the contribution(s) made by each individual. If multiple individuals have identical contributions they may be listed together; do not list an author more than once.

You must follow the required format when creating your Contributors Statement Page or your manuscript will be returned for correction.

• Each author should only appear once.
• Use full names, not initials.
• If multiple authors have identical contributions, you can list them in the same sentence; otherwise, list each author separately.
• Conclude your statement by confirming that: All authors approved the final manuscript as submitted and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Sample Contributors Statement:

Dr Katie Smith and Prof Clarence Jones conceptualized and designed the study, drafted the initial manuscript, and critically reviewed and revised the manuscript. Drs Sarah Brown, Jim Grey, and Susan Black designed the data collection instruments, collected data, carried out the initial analyses, and critically reviewed and revised the manuscript. Sam Johnson critically reviewed and revised the manuscript. Dr Allen Green conceptualized and designed the study, coordinated and supervised data collection, and critically reviewed and revised the manuscript for important intellectual content. All authors approved the final manuscript as submitted and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Acquisition of funding, collection of data, or general supervision of a research group alone does not constitute a sufficient basis for authorship. Contributors who do not meet the criteria for authorship (such as persons who helped recruit patients for the study, or professional editors) should be listed in an Acknowledgments section placed after the manuscript’s conclusion and before the References section. Because readers may infer their endorsement of the data and conclusions, these persons must give written permission to be acknowledged. These permissions do not need to be submitted with the manuscript unless requested by the editors.

To determine article length, count the body of the manuscript (from the start of the Introduction to the end of the Conclusion). The title page, contributors statement page, abstract, acknowledgments, references, figures, tables, and multimedia are not included.

Figures, Tables, and Supplementary Material

For any figure, table, or supplementary material reproduced or adapted from another source, authors are required to obtain permission from the copyright holder, and proof of permission must be uploaded at the time of submission. The legend must include a statement that the material was used or adapted with permission.

Authors should number figures in the order in which they appear in the text. Figures include graphs, charts, photographs, and illustrations. Each figure must include a legend (placed in a list appearing after the References) that does not exceed 50 words. Abbreviations previously expanded in the text are acceptable. Upload figures as separate files; list figure legends as the last item in your main Word/text file.  Do not paste figures into your manuscript text/Word file. There is no charge or maximum number for figures.

Figure arrays should be clearly labeled, preassembled, and submitted to scale. Figure parts of an array (A, B, C, etc.) should be clearly marked in capital letters in the upper left-hand corner of each figure part.

Style for figures:   Readers should be able to understand figures without referring to the text. Avoid pie charts, 3-dimensional graphs, and excess ink in general. Make sure that the axes on graphs are labeled, including units of measurement, and that the font is large enough to read. Generally delete legends or other material from the graph if it makes the picture smaller. Color graphs should be interpretable if photocopied in black and white.

Technical requirements for figures: The following file types are acceptable: TIFF, PDF, EPS. Color files must be submitted in their original RGB color. Pediatrics cannot accept Excel or PowerPoint files for any part of your submission.

The height of all figures should be less than or equal to 9.25” / 23.5 cm / 55.5 picas. The width of figures should be no smaller than 3.33" / 8.5 cm / 20 picas and no larger than 7" / 17.5 cm / 41.5 picas. Figure resolution should be 300 dpi for halftones (images with no text or line art), 600 dpi for combination halftones (images with text or line art), or 1000 dpi for monochrome line art.

For text within the figures, please use the same font for all figures in your manuscript, and use a standard font such as Arial, Helvetica, Times, Symbol, Mathematical Pi, and European Pi. Do not use varying letter type sizes within a single figure; use the same size or similar sizes throughout. The preferred font size is 8 points; the minimum font size is 6 points.

Remember to upload figures as separate files; list figure legends as the last item in your main Word/text file. Do not paste figures into your manuscript text/Word file.

Tables should be numbered in the order in which they are cited in the text and include appropriate headers. Tables should not reiterate information presented in the Results section, but rather should provide clear and concise data that further illustrate the main point. Tabular data should directly relate to the hypothesis. Table formatting should follow the current edition of the AMA Manual of Style . There is no maximum number of tables.

Technical requirements for tables: Tables should be constructed using a Microsoft Word program and inserted either in numerical order at the end of the main Word document (following the references) or as separate files. Tables may use any legible font size and may appear in portrait or landscape orientation; however, the main manuscript text pages must remain in portrait orientation. Do not provide tables in scan/image format. Pediatrics cannot accept Excel or PowerPoint files for any part of your submission. 

• Do NOT include linked or cross-referencing cell functions and formulas in your Word document tables, as these can cause a file conversion error in the manuscript submission system.

Style for tables:   Tables should be self-explanatory. Avoid abbreviations; define any abbreviations in footnotes to the table. Avoid excess digits and excess ink in general. Where possible, rows should be in a meaningful order (eg, descending order of frequency). Provide units of measurement for all numbers. In general, only one type of data should be in each column of the table.

Presentation of Numbers and Statistics

• Results in the abstract and the paper generally should include estimates of effect size and 95% confidence intervals, not just P values or statements that a difference is statistically significant. Where possible, focus on absolute and not relative differences. Measures of clinical impact like the number needed to treat can be especially helpful for our readers.
• All statistical methods should be clearly described.
• Units of independent variables must be provided in tables and results sections if regression coefficients are provided.
• Equations should be typed exactly as they are to appear in the final manuscript. The following table, adapted from the guidelines for authors for the  Annals of Internal Medicine  by editors of  Medical Decision Making , shows how to present certain percentages and some statistical measures:

Supplemental Information

Authors may wish to include additional information in an appendix as part of their article. References to any online supplemental information must appear in the main article. Such supplemental information can include but are not limited to additional tables, figures, videos, audio files, slide shows, data sets (including qualitative data), and online appendices. If your study is based on a survey, consider submitting your survey instrument or the key questions as a data supplement. Authors are responsible for clearly labeling supplemental information and are accountable for its accuracy. Supplemental information will be peer reviewed, but not professionally copyedited.

Supplemental figures and tables should follow the same formatting requirements as main figures and tables.

Pediatrics encourages the submission of videos to accompany articles where relevant. Links can be placed in the article for use when it is accessed electronically. All videos must adhere to the same general permission rules that apply to figures (ie, parental consent when a patient is identifiable).

All videos should be submitted at the desired reproduction size and length. To avoid excessive delays in downloading the files, videos should be no more than 6MB in size and run between 30 and 60 seconds in length. In addition, cropping frames and image sizes can significantly reduce file sizes. Files submitted can be looped to play more than once, provided the file size does not become excessive. Video format must be either .mov or .mp4.

Authors will be notified if problems exist with videos as submitted and will be asked to modify them if needed. No editing will be done to the videos at the editorial office—all changes are the responsibility of the author.

Video files should be named clearly to correspond with the figure they represent (ie, figure1.mov, figure2.mp4, etc.). Be sure all video files have filenames that are no more than 8 characters long and include the suffix “.mov” or ".mp4." A caption for each video should be provided (preferably in a similarly named Word file submitted with the videos) stating clearly the content of the video presentation and its relevance to the materials submitted.

IMPORTANT: One to four traditional still images from the video must be provided. These still images may be published with the article and will act as thumbnail images that will link to the full video file. Please indicate clearly in your text whether a figure has a video associated with it, and be sure to indicate the name of the corresponding video file. A brief figure legend should also be provided.

Regular Article

Abstract length: 250 words or fewer (structured, as noted below) Article length: 3,000 words or fewer

Regular Articles are original research contributions that aim to inform clinical practice or the understanding of a disease process. Regular Articles include but are not limited to clinical trials, interventional studies, cohort studies, case-control studies, epidemiologic assessments, and surveys. Components of a Regular Article include:

• What’s Known on This Subject
• What This Study Adds

These two brief summaries are each limited to 40 words. Please use precise and accurate language in paragraph form (ie, not bullet points). For manuscripts accepted as Regular Articles, these summaries will become a highly visible part of your published paper, with prominence on the first page. Moreover, these summaries may be highlighted and presented in other areas of the journal. It is therefore paramount that you use language of the same caliber as the rest of your paper.

• Structured Abstract (four paragraphs with headings in boldface type; single-spaced)

The abstract should consist of: Objectives or Background and Objectives, Methods, Results, and Conclusions. The Objective should clearly state the hypothesis; Methods, inclusion criteria and study design; Results, the outcome of the study; and Conclusions, the outcome in relation to the hypothesis and possible directions of future study.

• Body of Article

For the body of your article, follow this general outline:

• Introduction

A 1- to 2-paragraph introduction outlining the wider context that generated the study and the hypothesis.

This section should detail inclusion criteria and study design to ensure reproducibility of the research. All studies that involve human subjects must be approved or deemed exempt by an official institutional review board; this should be noted here.

This section should give specific answers to the aims or questions stated in the introduction.  The order of presentation of results should parallel the order of the methods section.

The section should highlight antecedent literature on the topic and how the current study changes the understanding of a disease process or clinical situation. It should include a section on the limitations of the present study.

A brief concluding paragraph presenting the implications of the study results and possible new research directions on the subject.

General submission instructions (including cover letter, title page requirements, contributors statement page, journal style guidance, and conflict of interest statements) apply to Regular Articles.

• Download and view a sample Regular Article manuscript here .

Research Briefs

Abstract length: no abstract Article length: 700 words or fewer References:   Up to 10 references can be cited.

Research Briefs summarize original research describing preliminary findings or descriptive studies that although meaningful are better suited to a shorter, focused report than other article types that appear in the journal. Although there is no restriction on the type of study design for Research Briefs, clinical trials are in most cases better suited for submission as a Regular Article. 

Authors should follow the following format.

Introduction A brief paragraph summarizing the context of the report and any hypotheses.

Methods A concise description of the study design and approach.  All studies that involve human subjects must be approved or deemed exempt by an official institutional review board; this should be noted here.

Results A concise description of the findings.  A combined total of two tables or figures can be used.

Discussion A concise summary of how the findings influence the understanding of the topic.  The limitations should be clearly described.  Special attention should be on the implications and next steps that are needed beyond a statement that more research is needed.

• Download and view a sample Research Brief manuscript here .

Advocacy Case Studies

Abstract length: 250 words or fewer (unstructured: no heading, single paragraph) Article length: 3,000 words or fewer Author limit: Four (4). All authors must have been engaged in the advocacy work described in the case study. Additional authors can be added with permission of the editors.

Advocacy Case Studies describe a specific, organized effort in child advocacy that results in changes to systems that affect child health and well-being.

These reports should focus on the advocacy process and outcomes of the intervention, not the evidence that underlies the advocacy work. We encourage reports that provide lessons that others could adopt.

Introduction What was the problem? Describe the local environment, situation, and motivation for the advocacy work. What was the overall goal of the advocacy work? Be specific and include objectives.

Methods and Process Who was involved in the advocacy work? Describe the stakeholders involved and how they were brought together. What was the approach of the advocacy work? Describe the challenges faced and how they were addressed. How was success defined and measured? What sources of assistance or support was central to the advocacy work?

Outcomes What were the results of your advocacy? Link these to the goals and objectives. Describe any communication of these results if integral to sustaining the project.

Lessons Learned What are the lessons learned from the advocacy work that are relevant for pediatricians and other child health care providers?

Conclusions How will your advocacy work be sustained? Describe any future plans.

The general submission instructions (including cover letter, title page, contributors statement page, journal style guidance, and conflict of interest statements) also apply to Advocacy Case Studies.

• Download and view a sample Advocacy Case Studies manuscript here .

Case Report

Abstract length: 250 words or fewer (unstructured: no headings, run in a single paragraph) Article length: 1,600 words or fewer Author limit: Seven (7) authors or fewer (with rare exception)

Case Reports highlight unique presentations or aspects of disease processes that may expand the differential diagnosis and improve patient care. In general, case reports will include 10 cases or fewer. For a manuscript to be considered a Case Report, it must meet at least one of the following three criteria:

• Challenge an existing clinical or pathophysiologic paradigm.
• Provide a starting point for novel hypothesis-testing pre-clinical or clinical research.
• Focus on topics pertinent to the pediatric generalist, allowing pediatrics colleagues to provide improved care. (Manuscripts meeting this criterion will be prioritized over other submissions.)

Case Reports should consist of an unstructured abstract that summarizes the case(s), a brief introduction (recommended length, 1-2 paragraphs), a section that details patient presentation, initial diagnosis and outcome, as well as a discussion that includes a brief review of the relevant literature and describes how this case brings new understanding about the presentation, diagnostic approach, and/or novel treatment of a disease. Case Reports that merely present, for example, the third published case of a clinical condition, that describe a patient who has 2 rare conditions, or that detail the youngest patient with a well-described disease do not on those merits alone meet the bar for publication in Pediatrics.

Authors may find the criteria for case reports as contained in the CARE guidelines useful in preparing their manuscript.

Written consent must be obtained from the parent or guardian. You do not need to include a copy with your submission unless the patient may be identifiable; however, a copy must be provided to Pediatrics upon request. Pediatrics does not supply a consent form.

The general submission instructions (including cover letter, title page, contributors statement page, journal style guidance, and conflict of interest statements) also apply to Case Reports. Do not include "a case report" or similiar language in your title as this is redundant; published manuscripts will appear in the Case Reports section.

• Download and view a sample Case Report manuscript here .

Abstract length: no abstract Article length: 400 to 800 words

Commentaries are solicited by the editors. These contributions usually pertain to and are published concurrently with a specific article; the commentary serves to launch a broader discussion of a topic. The general submission instructions (including cover letter, title page, contributors statement page, journal style guidance, and conflict of interest statements) also apply to commentaries). Further instructions will be sent to authors after they are invited to write a commentary. Unsolicited opinion pieces are published as Pediatrics Perspectives. Responses to published articles should be submitted as online Comments.

• Download and view a sample Commentary manuscript here .

Diagnostic Dilemmas and Clinical Reasoning

Abstract length: 250 words or fewer (unstructured: no headings, run in a single paragraph) NOTE: Abstracts must not reveal the final diagnosis

Article length: 3,500 words or fewer

Author limit: Seven (7) authors or fewer

Diagnostic Dilemmas and Clinical Reasoning articles are interactive case studies with comments inserted by generalists and specialists asked to comment on the case, simulating what might occur in an oral case presentation.

The goal of this feature is to present clinical cases that are diagnostic dilemmas and that involve the input of both generalists and subspecialists who comment as segments of the case are presented, similar to Ethics Rounds feature articles. Each case presented should generate a dialogue about unusual or complicated disease processes and stimulate discussion about clinical reasoning. The initial case description should include the chief complaint and enough information to generate an initial differential diagnosis. Clinical details should alternate with input from generalists and from subspecialists as the case evolves and as the ultimate diagnosis is made. The case should culminate with a brief summary (750–1,000 words) of the key points of the case and of the ultimate diagnosis. Use of media, such as radiology studies, pathology specimens, or video clips, is encouraged to complement the discussion.

• Authors may come from any institution. The case may be one that was discussed in the hospital’s teaching rounds (many hospitals have sessions entitled Case Conference, CPC, Professorial Rounds, or something similar).
• Manuscripts will be submitted for peer review, with acceptance contingent on positive peer reviews and input from the editorial board.
• All cases should be real cases.
• Written consent must be obtained from the parent or guardian, and authors should use their cover letter to attest that they have this consent. You do not need to include a copy with your initial submission unless the patient may be identifiable; however, a copy must be provided to PEDIATRICS upon request. If you upload consent, do so as a Supplemental File and be sure to click the 'internal use only' box for that file.
• Instances where there are extenuating circumstances in which family consent may be problematic will be handled on a case-by-case basis. If a case is published without family consent, enough elements should be changed so that the patient and family are not recognizable. If the case is too unique to be disguised, then those involved in the care of the patient cannot be authors, and the published paper must have no link to the institution where the case took place.
• The requirements of local institutional review boards should be followed.
• Authorship: As with all article types, authors must fulfill the ICJME criteria for authorship.

Questions can be addressed to Andrea Cruz, MD, MPH, section editor for Diagnostic Dilemmas and Clinical Reasoning, here .

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Justice

Abstract length: no abstract Article length: 1,200 words or fewer

The general instructions regarding submission (including cover letter, title page requirements, contributors statement page, journal style guidance, and conflict of interest statements) also apply to this section.

• Download and view a sample manuscript here .

The goal of the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Justice section is to highlight areas in which bias, discrimination, racism, and inequity have impacted the health of children and their families. Topics discussed should question assumptions of traditionally held beliefs of race and other social constructs and encourage the promotion of health equity. Submissions should include a clear explanation of the problem and potential measures to address it.

Suggested topics include, but are not limited to: the impact of social or structural factors on health, with respect to housing and geography, health care access, transportation, education, wealth, law, policy, and justice system involvement. A short synopsis, case report, opinion piece, or personal narrative is not appropriate.

Primary research, regardless of scope, should not be submitted to this section; please see additional Pediatrics Author Guidelines for research submissions.

For some examples, see these previously published articles: Reflections of Growing Up in a World That Favors Whiteness ; Adolescent and Young Adult Menstrual Poverty ; and Using Words and Action in the Fight Against Racism.

Specific questions may be directed to Associate Editor Kimberly Montez, MD, MPH ( contact ). 

Ethics Rounds

Abstract length: 250 words or fewer (unstructured: no headings, run in a single paragraph) Article length: 3,500 words or fewer

Ethics Rounds present discussions of cases that illustrate ethical dilemmas in patient care, research, or administration.

Ethics Rounds usually consist of an abstract, a brief introduction, a case followed by several commentaries, the outcome of the case, and Section Editor comments. The abstract should briefly describe the case and summarize the commentators’ substantiative conclusions. The case may involve clinical, research, or organizational ethics. It should conclude with an ethical dilemma or conflict, and the need for an individual or group to make a decision.

Cases are typically 250 to 300 words in length. If the case is based on the care of an actual patient, informed consent should be obtained from the adult patient or the parents or guardian of a minor patient, or the case should be sufficiently anonymized that the participants cannot recognize it. Cases may also be a composite of the care of several actual patients.

The case is usually followed by 2-3 commentaries. Each commentary usually has 1-2 authors. The author(s) of the case are typically among the commentators. If there are 2 commentaries, they should each be 1,200 or fewer words; if there are 3 commentaries, each should be 800 or fewer words. It is preferable that the commentaries’ authors represent different institutions, disciplines, and/or perspectives. Commentaries should not introduce new information about the case and should not be repetitive. Ethics Rounds generally conclude with a description of the outcome of the case and a brief comment by the Section Editor.

Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome. The Section Editor Armand Antommaria ( e mail ) is also happy to work with authors who have a case that raises ethical issues and who require additional assistance. In such cases, the Section Editor may fulfill the criteria for authorship. This will be discussed with the corresponding author during the submission process. Potential authors are strongly encouraged to review recently published Ethics Rounds to familiarize themselves with the format and topics that have already been covered. The Section Editor may also originate manuscripts.

The general submission instructions (including cover letter, title page, contributors statement page, abstract, journal style guidance, and conflict of interest statements) also apply to Ethics Rounds.

For more information on this section's format and submission process, see the blog Publishing Ethics in Pediatrics .

Family Partnerships

Abstract length: No abstract Article length: 2,000 words or fewer Author limit: None Reference limit: 10 references or fewer

Family Partnership articles provide the opportunity to highlight the relationships that form between patients, families, and their pediatric care teams. These articles can describe partnerships that occur in caring for an individual patient with shared decision making to achieve comprehensive, coordinated, family-centered care or can illustrate opportunities where a family and pediatric health care professional work together to collaborate on  policy development, health systems transformation, quality improvement, a clinical research study, or a medical education project. Articles should be written collaboratively, reflect shared experiences, and include generalizable suggestions for improving health care. Submissions for this article type do not present a singular opinion or perspective, but should aim to describe experiences that achieve a meaningful and equitable partnership between patients, families and pediatricians. Potential authors are strongly encouraged to review recently published Family Partnerships articles to familiarize themselves with the format and topics already covered. Authors with questions about a potential Family Partnerships article can email Associate Editor Cara Coleman at [email protected] . 

Specific points to consider:

• Articles should include at least one author who is a family member related to the topic or the article and one author who is a healthcare professional.
• The patient and/or family member should be actively involved in designing and carrying out the project being described and in drafting the article being submitted.
• The role of the family member as author should be clear to the reader. For example, simply quoting a family member is not equivalent to shared authorship.
• The introduction and conclusion should be written jointly by all authors reflecting a shared point of view. Additionally, the body of the article should provide active descriptions of and experiences reflective of the partnership.
• Articles should include generalizable lessons about how to achieve or improve family partnerships in health care even if an individual’s story is the focus of the narrative.

The Features section offers an opportunity to gain insight into aspects of our field: past, present, and future. 

While Features articles may be invited, submissions are welcome and any queries or proposals should be directed to the editors of their respective columns: Jay Berkelhamer, MD ( [email protected] ) for Global Health; Robert Dudas, MD ( [email protected] ) for COMSEP; Madeleine Norris, MD ( [email protected] ) for SOPT; and Jeffrey Baker, MD ( [email protected] ) for the AAP Gartner Pediatric History Center.

The general instructions regarding submission (including cover letter, title page requirements, contributors statement page, journal style guidance, and conflict of interest statements) also apply to Features.

• Download and view a sample Features manuscript here .

SOPT Feature

This section publishes insightful updates and opinion articles on all aspects of pediatrics, written from the unique perspective of the trainee.

The goal of the editorial board of the AAP Section on Pediatric Trainees (SOPT) Feature is to work with trainee authors to develop thoughtful and timely articles related to pediatrics that appeal to everyone from medical students to well-seasoned practitioners. Topic content that focuses on training in pediatric medicine is preferred, but a range of other content areas will be considered. Topics should be relevant to students, residents, and fellows, but also of general interest to the readership of Pediatrics . The issue being discussed must be uniquely viewed from the trainee’s perspective , not from that of the supervisor, educator, or attending.

A few questions to consider when writing include: Why is the issue important? What is causing the problem to persist? How might it be corrected? How is this issue important to pediatricians in training? How might it affect pediatric medicine in the future? We are looking for authors who take a stand and support it with evidence from the literature, and for articles with an “edge.” A narrative thread that engages the reader and includes observations drawn from the author’s clinical and professional experiences is recommended.

Points to Consider:

• The first author must be a resident, fellow, or medical student, but does not need to be a SOPT member. Collaborating authors at any career level are welcome. (Note: In order to promote a diversity of trainee voices, SOPT has a guideline of waiting at least 2 years to publish work from an author already published in SOPT Features.)
• One article will be published at least every 4 months as the Feature in  Pediatrics .
• Word Limit: 1,200 words.
• Reference Limit: 15 references.
• Author limit: 4 authors.
• Identical or similar manuscripts that have been accepted or published elsewhere, including online, cannot be considered. Please refer to the Pediatrics main author guidelines for further explanation about Pediatrics ’ approach regarding plagiarism.

Specific questions may be directed to Section Editor Madeleine Norris, MD, here .

Historical Perspectives Feature

The historical perspectives Feature is intended to attract concise and engaging historical articles of interest to clinicians. These articles are more akin to a commentary than an original article and cannot be expected to provide the kind of in-depth analysis expected in professional historical journals. The content may draw from original research or develop a particular insight from existing scholarship. These articles are typically qualitative and not divided into the conventional sections appropriate for original scientific contributions. Articles are peer reviewed by professionals with both medical and historical expertise.

Consider the following points as you develop your article:

• Frame a clear question or central argument. Historical articles do not just recite chronologies or lists of persons and dates, they investigate a particular question and develop an argument backed up by sources.
• Set your article in historical context—in its own time and place. Don’t judge the past by the standards of the present. Secondary sources can be very helpful. Search for articles or books that can provide historical background. If you are not familiar with historical scholarship, see “resources” on the Pediatric History Center page of the American Academy of Pediatrics Web site.
• Will your article be of interest to pediatricians (the main audience for Pediatrics )? Is the writing clear, organized, and easy to follow?
• Is it original? Authors who have completed longer historical projects may wish to submit a short article related to a bigger project that may attract new readers to their other scholarship.
• Are assertions in the paper accurate and supported with appropriate references? Most articles will have about 10 to 20 references. Follow the AMA Manual of Style. Specific references in longer sources may require page numbers to be noted in parentheses.

Primary sources (produced by participants or contemporaries) are preferred when possible. The goal is to provide enough information that a reader could independently confirm the assertions in the text. Secondary sources (books and reviews written by historians or physician-historians) should be cited to provide context (to frame the story in space and time) and scholarly background.

Specific questions may be directed to Section Editor Jeffrey P. Baker, MD, PhD ( contact ).

Global Health Feature

The global health Feature is intended to educate and engage clinicians who might not otherwise be immersed in the global health field. Submissions should provide information or perspective on issues and initiatives of international interest, including health, nutrition, and medical care in low- and middle-income countries. Articles may be broad or specific in focus and should include appropriate references. Please direct questions to Jay Berkelhamer, MD ( contact ), section editor.

COMSEP Feature

COMSEP (Council on Medical Student Education in Pediatrics) publishes articles on topics of relevance to pediatric medical student education. Articles are solicited internally via a quarterly call through the COMSEP listserv. The number of authors is limited to 3 with at least one author holding an active COMSEP membership. If you have a question, please contact the current section editor Robert Dudas, MD  ( contact ).

Pediatrics Perspectives

Abstract length: no abstract Article length: 1,200 words max Author limit: Three (3) authors or fewer Figure/table: No more than one (1) figure or table allowed

Please Note:  Pediatrics receives many more Pediatrics Perspectives than the journal can publish. Authors are encouraged to review the Pediatrics Perspectives that have published to ensure that new submissions are unique.

Pediatrics Perspectives are unsolicited opinion pieces that address current topics in issues such as advocacy, public policy, and population health, or clinical topics related to infant, child, and/or adolescent health. Perspectives pieces should include a clear explanation of the issue and potential measures to address it. A short synopsis of current or past personal research on the topic is not appropriate. Perspectives pieces cannot exceed 1,200 words, be written by more than 3 authors, or and have more than 7 references. Pediatrics Perspectives may include 1 figure or 1 table.

The general instructions regarding submission (including cover letter, title page requirements, contributors statement page, journal style guidance, and conflict of interest statements) also apply to Pediatrics Perspectives.

• Download and view a sample Pediatrics Perspectives manuscript here .

Quality Report

Abstract: 250 words or fewer (structured: see Regular Articles) Article: 3,000 words or fewer Supplemental content: appropriate for figures, tables, multimedia, measurement tools  

Quality Reports are intended to add to our understanding of how to design and implement highly reliable systems of care that optimize the quality, safety, and value of health care delivered to children. 

What is suitable to submit as a Quality Report?

• The primary goal of Quality Reports is to share important and meaningful quality improvement projects.  Submissions should describe sustainable and replicable initiatives that have been evaluated using quality improvement methods.  Submissions that include assessment of impact on costs will be given high priority.  Pilot projects of interventions to improve quality of care may be acceptable if there are important lessons that can inform further quality-improvement efforts.
• Reports of clinical trials to assess whether interventions are effective are better suited as Regular Articles. 
• If you are uncertain whether your manuscript is appropriate as a Quality Report, e-mail Munish Gupta, MD, MMSc ( contact ).  

What format should authors use when submitting a Quality Report?

• The general instructions to authors regarding submission (including cover letter, title page requirements, contributors statement page, journal style guidance, and conflict-of-interest statements) also apply to Quality Reports.
• Authors should follow the Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence (SQUIRE 2.0) Guidelines. The SQUIRE guidelines are described in detail on the SQUIRE website ( www.squire-statement.org ).  Of note, the SQUIRE guidelines acknowledge that different reports will have different areas of emphasis, and not every SQUIRE element may be necessary for every quality improvement manuscript. 
• All submissions should follow the IMRaD (Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion) format consistent with the rest of the journal.  The SQUIRE guidelines suggest specific elements that should be addressed in each text section; authors should complete the table below indicating the location of each SQUIRE element in their manuscript.  This table should be uploaded as a supplemental file. 

Table of SQUIRE elements

• Download and view a sample Quality Reports manuscript here .
• Download the blank SQUIRE requirements table here .

Review Article

Abstract length: 250 words or fewer (structured or unstructured, depending on review type) Article length: 4,000 words or fewer

Review Articles combine and/or summarize data from the knowledge base of a topic. Preference is given to systematic reviews and meta-analyses of clearly stated questions over traditional narrative reviews of a topic.  Both types of review require an abstract; the abstract of a narrative review may be unstructured (no headings, run in a single paragraph). See below for abstracts of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

Review Articles combine and/or summarize data from the knowledge base of a topic. Preference is given to systematic reviews and meta-analyses of clearly stated questions. Non-systematic reviews usually receive a low priority score. The general instructions regarding submission (including cover letter, title page requirements, contributors statement page, journal style guidance, and conflict of interest statements) also apply to Review Articles.

Reports of systematic reviews and meta-analyses should use the PRISMA statement ( http://www.prisma-statement.org/ ) as a guide, and include a completed PRISMA checklist and flow diagram to accompany the main text. Blank templates of the checklist and flow diagram can be downloaded from the PRISMA Web site ( http://www.prisma-statement.org ).

Systematic reviews should use structured abstracts. Headings should include: Context, Objective, Data Sources, Study Selection, Data Extraction, Results, Limitations, and Conclusions (see Iverson et al 1[pp22-23] ). Journal requirements for the abstract supersede the PRISMA checklist.

• Download and view a sample Systematic Review/Meta-analysis manuscript here .

Special Article

Abstract length: 250 words or fewer (unstructured: no headings, run in a single paragraph) Article length: 4,000 words or fewer

Special Articles reflect topics or issues of relevance to pediatric health care that do not conform to a traditional study format. Special Articles may address broad social and ethical issues, scientific methodology, or other scholarly topics, and may include reports from consensus committees and working groups. These articles should not include specific guidelines or recommendations for practice. Guidelines and recommendations from groups outside of the AAP must be approved through the AAP and may be published at the discretion of the AAP in the dedicated AAP section of the journal (see below).

The general instructions regarding submission (including cover letter, title page requirements, contributors statement page, journal style guidance, and conflict of interest statements) apply to Special Articles.

• Download and view a sample Special Article manuscript here .

State-of-the-Art Review Article

State-of-the-Art Review Articles provide a comprehensive and scholarly overview of an important clinical subject with a principle focus on developments in the past 5 years. State-of-the-Art Review Articles are usually invited.  If you are interested in submitting a State-of-the-Art Review, please email Associate Editor Dr. Karen Puopolo ( contact ) and copy Publications Editor Mark Plemmons ( c ontact ).

The general instructions regarding submission (including cover letter, title page requirements, contributors statement page, journal style guidance, and conflict of interest statements) also apply to State-of-the-Art Reviews.

• Download and view a sample State-of-the-Art Review manuscript here .

State-of-the-Art Translational Science Brief

Abstract length: 250 words or fewer (unstructured: no headings, run in a single paragraph) Article length: 1,500 words or fewer Reference limit: 25 State-of-the-Art Translational Science Briefs examine cutting-edge translational science advances with implications for practicing pediatricians. These manuscripts should describe a recent finding or a group of closely related findings that have current implications for diagnosis or management, or that could lead the way to novel approaches to care in the near future. These articles should clearly describe the underlying scientific principles and the ways in which clinical care could be transformed.    If you are interested in submitting a State-of-the-Art Translational Science Brief, please email Associate Editor Dr. Karen Puopolo ( contact ) and copy Publications Editor Mark Plemmons ( contact ). The general instructions regarding submission (including cover letter, title page requirements, contributors statement page, journal style guidance, and conflict of interest statements) also apply to State-of-the-Art Translational Science Briefs.

• Download and view a sample State-of-the-Art Translational Science Brief manuscript here .

Video Abstracts

The journal publishes video abstracts with articles by invitation only. Guidelines will be provided upon invitation.

"From the American Academy of Pediatrics"- For AAP Use Only

The editorial process and manuscript selection for publication in Pediatrics are separate from the processes and materials that are produced or endorsed by the AAP. These materials are published in print and online in a visually distinct section of the journal. AAP Clinical Practice Guidelines, Policy Statements, Clinical Reports and other AAP-produced or endorsed materials that are intended to help guide practice are highly valued by membership and are published in this section of the journal at the sole discretion of the AAP. Content produced or endorsed by the AAP is reviewed and approved outside of the Pediatrics editorial process.

Do not select an AAP Clinical Report, AAP Policy Statement, or other AAP article type for your submission. These are reserved for internal AAP use only.

Cover Letter

The cover letter serves to assure the editors that the article and the authors meet the conditions of publication.  A brief paragraph that provides any additional information that may be useful to the editors is welcome, but keep in mind that the need for a long cover letter may indicate that the article does not speak for itself.  Reviewers will not see the cover letter; cover letters are not a Title Page.

All authors must affirm the following in their cover letter before their manuscript is considered:

• That the manuscript is being submitted only to Pediatrics , that it will not be submitted elsewhere, while under consideration, that it has not been published elsewhere, and, should it be published in Pediatrics , that it will not be published elsewhere—either in similar form or verbatim—without permission of the editors. These restrictions do not apply to abstracts or to press reports of presentations at scientific meetings.
• That all authors are responsible for reported research.
• That all authors have participated in the concept and design, analysis and interpretation of data, and drafting or revising of the manuscript, and that they have approved the manuscript as submitted.

If the manuscript has been posted on a preprint server, the authors must state this in the cover letter (and include a link to the preprint server posting). Manuscripts should not be submitted to preprint servers while under consideration for publication.

Getting Started

• Go to https://submit-pediatrics.aappublications.org/ and sign in, or click the “create a new account” link if you are a first-time user.
• You should be automatically be taken to your Author Area at sign-in.
• Click “Submit a new manuscript."

Submitting Your Manuscript

To start a new submission, click “Submit a new manuscript” in your Author Area.

You must complete each step to submit your manuscript.  Use proper capitalization - Do not use all CAPS, or all lowercase, or HTML. Click on the “Save/Continue” button on each screen to save your work and advance to the next screen.

Submission Guide. The first screen you’ll see is the “Submission Guide.” This page provides a description of each article type and guidance on what is required for each section of the submission system. Once you’ve reviewed this page, click “Begin Submission” at the bottom of the page.

Manuscript Basics. Select your article type and enter the title, short title, and abstract. Review your article type earlier in the Submission Guide for further details on abstracts. The Article Summary and the What’s Known/What’s Added summaries are required for Regular Articles only (if this does not apply, input “NA” to skip).

For published articles, the Article Summary will appear under the author names in the table of contents to give the reader a brief insight into what the article is about. It should entice the reader to read the full article. Summarize your article in 25 words or less. For example: "Through linkage of state Medicaid and Child Protective Services databases, this study captures similarities and differences in health care expenditures based on a history of child maltreatment."

Manuscript Files. In this step, you will be prompted to upload your files.

The first screen you’ll see includes information on the file types supported for each upload type (manuscript file, image files (which include tables and figures), and supplemental data or additional files). Click Save/Continue to submit your files.

If you chose double-blind peer review, you will see the link “Upload your title page” in the middle of the screen. Click here to upload your Title Page (which should include your Contributors Statement Page and Acknowledgments). Once you’ve uploaded your Title Page separately, you can then upload your manuscript and table/figure files.

Your main manuscript file should be submitted by dragging the file into the green box labeled “Drop manuscript files here” or by clicking the “Select Files” link in this box. Labels are preferred, but not required. Please note that these labels are not a substitute for the required table/figure legends  in your manuscript files.

Your table and figure files should be submitted by dragging them into the gray box labeled “Drop image and table/figure files here” or by clicking the “Select Files” link in this box.

Supplemental data files should be submitted by dragging them into the blue box labeled “Drop supplemental files here” or by clicking the “Select Files” link in this box. Once you drag a file into this box, you will have the option of checking an “Internal Use” box if the file provided is for editor use only and not to be shared with the peer reviewers.  

Once you’ve dragged over or selected your files, click “Upload Files” to complete the upload. Once you are taken to the next screen, use the navigation links on the left-hand side to move to the next step.

Abstract, Cover Letter and Questions. Enter your abstract and cover letter in the text boxes provided. If your article type does not require an abstract, type “NA” in the text box. If your manuscript reports the results of a clinical trial, you must enter a Data Sharing Statement and the clinical trial number in the text boxes provided. See Data Sharing for more information. Reponses to the funding questions are required.

Keywords. Enter the appropriate keywords/categories for your submission.

Reviewer Suggestions/Exclusions. To indicate any preferred and non-preferred reviewers, enter the reviewer's information in the appropriate sections.

Author List. To add yourself as an author, click the “Add Author” button, then the “I Am This Author” button in the top right corner of the popup screen. If you are also the corresponding author, click the “Mark as Corresponding Author” box, then click “Save.” You can add additional authors by entering their email address to search for them in the system. You can change the author order in your list by dragging author entries to the desired position.

Submission Proofing. Here you will review the data entered for each step. You can revise any section by clicking the “Edit” button next to the section you’d like to revise.

Copyright Forms

At the time of provisional acceptance, all authors will receive instructions for submitting an online copyright form. No paper will be scheduled for an issue and move onto production until all authors have completed their copyright forms.

We do not accept copyright forms via fax, email, or regular mail unless a technical problem with the online author account cannot be resolved. Every effort should be made for authors to use the online copyright system. Corresponding authors can log in to the submission system at any time to check on the status of any co-author’s copyright form.

All accepted manuscripts become the permanent property of the American Academy of Pediatrics and may not be published elsewhere, in whole or in part, without written permission from the AAP (with certain exceptions: authors retain certain rights including the right to republish their work in books and other scholarly collections). Authors who were employees of the United States Government at the time the work was done should so state on the copyright form. Articles authored by federal employees remain in the public domain.

Note: Pediatrics cannot accept any copyright that has been altered, revised, amended, or otherwise changed. Our original electronic copyright form must be used as is.

Disclosure Forms

At the time of provisional acceptance, all authors are required to submit a disclosure form. Pediatrics adheres to ICMJE policy and uses an online disclosure e-form in order for authors to do so. The collection of forms is automated within the online submission system. Note: Pediatrics cannot accept any disclosure that has been altered, revised, amended, or otherwise changed. Our original electronic disclosure form must be used as is.

Ordering Reprints

Reprint order forms will be sent to the corresponding author. If you are not the corresponding author and wish to order reprints, you may either contact the corresponding author or use the contact info below. Reprints are available at any time after publication. However, reprints ordered after publication may cost more. Delivery of reprints is usually 4 to 6 weeks after publication.

To order author reprints, please contact:

Reader Comments

Pediatrics welcomes reader comments on published articles. To submit a comment, click on the "Comments" tab that appears with each article, then click on "Submit a Comment." (You must be logged in to submit a comment.) Comments submitted via email or regular mail will not be considered for posting or returned.

The editors review all comments submitted online; comments are not peer-reviewed. The decision regarding whether to post a comment is at the sole discretion of the editors, and all editorial decisions are final. The submitting author will receive an email if the comment is posted, which generally occurs within 3-5 days of submission. No email notification will be sent if the comment is not posted. Once a comment has been posted on the website, you will not have the right to have it removed or edited. Pediatrics shall, however, be able to remove any comment at its discretion.

Note: Comments are online responses only. They are neither published nor cited in Medline/PubMed. Comments that raise issues addressed in prior comments are unlikely to be posted.

Be sure to follow all of the consideration criteria below; you will not be able to modify your comment after submission.

Consideration Criteria for Posting of Reader Comments:

• To ensure timely discussion, comments are limited to articles published within the previous 6 months.
• The editors will consider posting comments that contribute substantially to the discussion of the original article to which the reader is responding. All editorial decisions are final.
• We will consider posting comments from all readers regardless of professional background. Decisions about posting are made based on the content, not the professional background of the respondent.
• Pediatrics does not allow multiple comment submissions from the same reader for a particular article.
• Comments must be in English and not exceed 500 words, not including references.
• Comments must have no more than 3 authors. Please insert commas between author names. If author affiliations include commas, insert semicolons between each affiliation.
• Comments must have no more than 5 references.
• Comments cannot include web links. We will remove any web links from responses chosen for posting. The only exceptions are links to AAP publications and to government documents/webpages; these must be correctly cited as references (do not paste them in the body of the comment) using AMA style. 
• Tables, figures, and other attachments are not allowed.
• Pediatrics will not post comments that are, or appear in the opinion of the editor to be, obscene, libelous, incomprehensible, defamatory, or rude; that include advertising, address personal health questions about the respondent or family members; or that give personal health information about identifiable individuals. The decision regarding whether to post any comment is at the sole discretion of the editors; all editorial decisions are final.
• In general, we do not edit reader comments prior to or after posting. The editors may, at their discretion, modify submitted comments either before or after posting the comment.

How to Submit Reader Comments for Consideration

1. Please ensure that you are logged in; you must be logged in to submit a comment. User accounts are free if you do not already have one.

2. Locate the article online and scroll to the bottom of the page (or the sidebar on the left-side of the screen) to find the “Add comment” link.  Pediatrics  only allows one comment per author per article.

4. Click "Submit".

How to View Comments

To read comments on an article that have been posted, click on the "Comments"link in the sidebar on the left side of the screen.

How to Cite a Comment

Puttgen, Katherine. RE: Topical Timolol Maleate Treatment of Infantile Hemangiomas [comment], Pediatrics (November 2, 2016), https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/138/3/e20160355/52672/Topical-Timolol-Maleate-Treatment-of-Infantile

Letters to the Editor

All Letters to the Editor must first be submitted as online comments (and must conform to comment requirements ). Selected comments may then be chosen for publication in the indexed edition of Pediatrics as “Letters to the Editor.” The editors may choose to abridge and edit a comment prior to publication as a Letter to the Editor in Pediatrics without notifying or seeking approval from the author. Only these selected responses will be cited in MedLine. Any letters submitted through the official manuscript submission site will be withdrawn.

At the time of provisional acceptance, the comment author will receive instructions for submitting an online copyright form. No comment will be scheduled for an issue’s Letters to the Editor section and move onto production until the copyright form is completed.

The corresponding author of an article can request a correction to a published manuscript. The editors will decide if an erratum is in order. 

Supplements to Pediatrics

Supplements are sponsored sets of articles on a single topic or a theme pertinent to Pediatrics . Such sets of articles may come from the proceedings of sponsored meetings, reports from task forces or committees, organizations interested in a particular topic, or research groups. Please note: Pediatrics does not accept supplements financed by for-profit corporations if the topics in the supplement bear close relation to the products sold by the corporation. All supplements are peer-reviewed. The contents of all supplements are open to read from the date of publication.

Supplement Costs

• The cost to sponsor a printed supplement to Pediatrics is $975 per page, with a minimum of 32 pages.  This estimate includes all costs for production, copyediting, press, distribution and postage, and online production and hosting of the supplement. A budget contract estimate will be issued for your approval prior to scheduling. The final price includes 100 complimentary copies of the supplement. Additional printed copies can be purchased by contacting Kate Larson, Senior Managing Editor, here .
• We offer the option of publishing online-only supplements to Pediatrics . The submission and production processes are exactly the same as those supplements that are published both in print and online. The difference is that no copies of the supplement are printed, thereby eliminating costs associated with printing and postage. The cost to sponsor an online-only supplement is $485 per page.
• A 50% deposit is required at budget contract and scheduling.

Conceptual Approval

Approval of the topic of a supplement must be obtained from Alex Kemper, MD, MPH, MS, Deputy Editor, prior to submission. To facilitate this process, we ask for a brief letter outlining the supplement, a proposed table of contents listing titles and authors of prospective papers, and a statement describing who will underwrite the cost of the supplement. This material should be sent to the deputy editor ( here ) during the planning stages of the supplement, ideally several months prior to submission.

Submission Requirements

To submit the supplement after conceptual approval, you must submit via the manuscript system .

• Download and view a sample Supplement format here . Submit the supplement under a single manuscript number with multiple supplemental files as detailed in this guide . The formatting requirements for articles also apply to supplement articles.

Once the supplement is received by the deputy editor, it is sent out in its entirety to reviewers. If the supplement is provisionally accepted, revisions may be required. If revisions cannot be made to the satisfaction of the editors, the supplement may be rejected.

We estimate 120 days from final acceptance to publication. However, this timeline can vary depending on the number of other supplements already scheduled for publication.

Pediatrics Editorial Offices

Vermont (Office of the Editor-in-Chief) University of Vermont College of Medicine 89 Beaumont Ave Given Courtyard, S261 Burlington, VT 05405

Ohio (Office of the Deputy Editor) Natiowide Children's Hospital 700 Children's Drive Columbus, OH 43205

Publisher’s Office American Academy of Pediatrics 345 Park Blvd Itasca, IL 60143 Email

Senior Managing Editor Kate Larson, Itasca, IL Email

Publications Editor Mark Plemmons, Itasca, IL Email

Editorial Staff Nina B. Jaffe, Burlington, VT

Problems With Article Submission?

• Email our editorial staff here .

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Faculty member explores new avenues in pediatric dentistry, orthodontics

John Christensen, DDS, MS, MS.

Teaching has always interested John Christensen, DDS, MS, MS, and his work at Adams School of Dentistry lets him capitalize on both his skills in pediatric dentistry and orthodontics and his passion for education, while working with residents in both departments on clinical care and research.

Christensen’s father was a pediatric dentist in his hometown of Waterloo, Iowa, and Christensen always thought he’d either follow in his dad’s footsteps, become a physician or a high school teacher.

“I liked all the teachers I’d had, and I liked sharing and learning new things,” he said.

Despite his interest in education, Christensen, 68, got his bachelor’s degree in biology at Harvard University, then enrolled in dental school at Iowa College of Dentistry. After deciding to pursue both pediatric dentistry and orthodontics, he specialized at ASOD, earning master’s degrees in both areas.

“I found myself leaning toward a dual degree because at the time, orthodontics and pediatrics were having quite a turf war,” he said. “I thought it was a great idea to treat both of them, and I found a happy medium. So, I did both.”

Pediatric dentistry and orthodontics

Christensen started private practice in Durham and grew his skills in pediatric dentistry and orthodontics. Henry Fields, DDS, MS, MSD, a mentor and faculty member at UNC, asked him to teach the orthodontic component of the pediatric dental program on alternate Fridays after his graduation.  After several years, he coordinated with ADOD’s Jessica Lee, DDS, PhD, on a faculty appointment at Carolina.

“I’ve satisfied my teaching itch by coming to school on a regular basis,” he said. “The program has really expanded here in the past two or three years. The diversity here is amazing. My dental class was 90% male, so that has changed dramatically.”

Christensen, center, with Veazie, left, and first-year pediatric resident Jason Lin, DDS, right, enjoys sharing his knowledge with others and learning from the residents he works with.

Christensen said he’s pleased with the intellectual curiosity and eagerness of the residents he works with and is amazed by how the profession has advanced with the use of technology and other tools. He’s also realized an interest in research and finds it rewarding to help the residents with their research endeavors, particularly with autotransplantation and dental trauma.

“The interaction with faculty and residents is very satisfying,” he said. “Where else can you pick the brains of the best of the best? Teaching is great and sharing my knowledge. It’s actually selfish, because I learn as much from them as they do from me. It’s benefitted my career in many ways.”

Broad horizons

Christensen’s work at ASOD has opened new doors for him, professionally. He edits textbooks, speaks and presents at national and international meetings, and explores research avenues he didn’t expect. Some of the most rewarding work he’s doing involves collaborating with the UNC Dental Trauma team, seeing patients injured in motor vehicle or sports accidents or children who were born without teeth. The team treats patients from North Carolina and beyond, including recent patients from states like Michigan, Arizona and Louisiana.

“Our team has become known throughout the U.S.,” he said. “They come to our trauma team and have surgery here at UNC. We’re developing a reputation across the nation that this is how to treat kids that are still growing.”

Sharing knowledge

Christensen is able to indulge his love of teaching with a newly revived interest in research as he helps guide residents through clinical and research questions. He and the residents have been exploring dental autotransplantation and why people are doing it, looking at whether certain teeth are better to transplant than others, and exploring parents’ views on the procedure. One study on the topic has already been published, and there are several other articles in progress. Another upcoming project will look at what financial barriers keep people from seeking such treatment.

Christensen enjoys bringing attention to these projects and sharing their findings broadly, including talking about ASOD’s team approach with other dental schools.

“It’s important to elevate the visibility of what we’re doing. We want to share it,” he said. “Pediatric dentists are sharers, and it helps take care of patients that don’t have hope or have had to deal with [a dental problem] for years. We are patient advocates. I want to share that with everyone else, and it promotes UNC. UNC has been great to me. It’s given me all sorts of advantages, and they trained me, and this is a way to give back to the school, too.”

Leading by example

Christensen and Lin reviewing patient cases.

Christensen also gives back to the students and residents the best way he can, both with his time and with sage advice. He tries to lead by example and maintain a good balance between work, family and self.

“By far, having grandkids is one of the few things that people promised would be great, and it is,” he said. “We love doing things with family. My wife and I left our families in Iowa, and we were alone [in North Carolina] for a long time. I thought our kids would do the same, but everybody’s still close, and we get to see everyone all the time.”

Still, Christensen said he recognizes the advantages he has due to his tenure at ASOD. He said he is fortunate to have worked with the late William R. Proffit, DDS, MS, PhD, and the late Ted Oldenburg, DDS, as well as the current heads of the departments of orthodontics and pediatrics and dental public health.

“I love UNC, and I can’t say enough of what they’ve done for me,” he said. “They have been kind and gracious to let me come in. I enjoy working with the residents; their curiosity inspires me, and I love to share.”

Opinion: It is time to increase oral health representation on the board of nonprofit health organizations

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Journal Information

On this page:  Aims and scope of journal  |  Journal metrics | Abstracted/indexed in | ISSN and eISSN | Benefits of publishing with PR |  Newsfeeds

Aims and scope of journal

Pediatric Research publishes original translational research papers, invited reviews, and commentaries on the etiologies and treatment of diseases of children and disorders of development, extending from basic science to epidemiology and quality improvement.

Topic Areas Adolescent Medicine, Allergy, Anesthesia, Behavior, Bioethics/Palliative Care, Cardiology, Cardiometabolic Disorders, Clinical Research/Methodology, Controversies, Critical Care, Development, Developmental Biology, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Emergency Medicine, Endocrinology, Environmental Health, Epidemiology, Fetus & Pregnancy, Gastroenterology, General Pediatrics, Genetics & Epigenetics, Global Health, Health Equity, Health Services Research, Hematology, Hyperbilirubinemia, Immunology, Infectious Disease, Kawasaki Disease, Microbiome, Neonatal Neurology, Neonatology, Nephrology, Neuroimaging, Neurology, Nutrition, Obesity, Oncology, Patient Safety, Pharmacology, Precision Medicine, Public Health, Pulmonology, Quality Improvement, Regenerative Biology, Rheumatology, Stem Cells, Substance Abuse, Transplantation, Toxicology.

Pediatric Research 's mission statement

Optimize children's health by publishing and communicating peer reviewed science and to foster the development of future pediatric researchers.

Journal Metrics

Article metrics such as number of downloads, citations and online attention are available from each article page, and provide an overview of the attention received by a paper.

2022 Citation Metrics

2-year Impact Factor*: 3.6 5-year Impact Factor*: 3.7 Immediacy index*: 0.6 Eigenfactor® score*: 0.01624 Article influence score*: 1.1 Journal Citation Indicator*: 1.22 SNIP**: 1.273 SJR***: 1.040

*2022 Journal Citation Reports® Science Edition (Clarivate Analytics, 2023) **Source-normalized Impact per Paper (Scopus) ***SCImago Journal Rank (Scopus)

2023 Usage Metrics

Downloads: 4,039,474 Altmetric mentions: 6,427

Abstracted/indexed in

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ISSN and eISSN

The international standard serial number (ISSN) for Pediatric Research is 0031-3998 and the electronic international standard serial number (eISSN) is 1530-0447.   

Benefits of publishing with  PR

• We are the official publication of the American Pediatric Society, the European Society for Paediatric Research, and the Society for Pediatric Research.
• We publish original translational research papers, invited reviews, and commentaries on the etiologies and treatment of diseases of children and disorders of development, extending from basic science to epidemiology and quality improvement.
• We have an established reputation built up over 50 years with wide visibility on nature.com and in print.

Publishing with  PR  and Springer Nature provides an author with a wide range of benefits:

License to Publish

The International Pediatric Research Foundation does not require authors of original research papers to assign copyright of their published contributions. Authors grant the International Pediatric Research Foundation an exclusive license to publish, in return for which they can re-use their papers in their future printed work.

In addition, authors are encouraged to archive their version of the manuscript in their institution's repositories (as well as on their personal web sites), six months after the original publication. Authors should cite the publication reference and doi number on any deposited version, and provide a link from it to the published article on the Springer Nature website. This policy complements the policies of the US National Institutes of Health, the Wellcome Trust and other research funding bodies around the world. Springer Nature recognizes the efforts of funding bodies to increase access of the research they fund, and strongly encourages authors to participate in such efforts.

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New articles in  PR , as in all Springer Nature journals, are published daily online ahead of the archival print issue, ensuring the research is made publicly available and can be cited as soon as possible after acceptance for publication. The online publication is a preliminary, unedited version, available on average less than a week after receipt by production.

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Authors are invited to submit additional supporting material such as data sets or video for publication in the online version of the journal. Online supplementary material makes the most of the Web as a delivery platform and can often give articles greater depth, making them more useful to readers.

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