There has been an increased awareness of the importance of the preparticipation evaluation (PPE) for youth athletes. With the recent stories of professional athletes being diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy and more clinical research about concussion and return to school/play, it is important for us to become more knowledgeable about our role in the assessment and ongoing care of children and adolescents with sports-related injuries. The guest editor Dr. Cynthia R. LaBella and her team of contributors present an excellent issue that highlights the most recent data regarding the PPE, concussion assessment and management, sports-related injuries, and aspects of injury prevention. I certainly appreciated reading each of these articles and realized how much more there is to know about this area.
Our Commitment to Sound Patient Care
Whether we are caring for a newborn infant in the nursery or neonatal intensive care unit, seeing a child in the office or clinic, or admitting a patient to the hospital, let us continue to provide the thoughtful, patient- and family-centered care we have learned and are continuing to learn in our lifelong continuing education as pediatric professionals. We should also continue to be advocates for our patients and their families regardless of who they are and where they come from. These are challenging times in our nation, and we should be aware of the proposed changes to our health care system and should advocate for all patients and their families according to our conscience.
As I was reviewing the 5-year strategic plan summary1 for the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) as outlined by the new AAP President Dr. Fernando Stein, I thought I would share this quote from the preamble of the AAP Constitution:
The American Academy of Pediatrics is dedicated to the principle of a meaningful and healthy life for every child. As an organization of physicians who care for infants, children, adolescents, and young adults, the Academy seeks to promote this goal by encouraging and assisting its members in their efforts to meet the overall health needs of children and youth; by providing support and counsel to others concerned with the well-being of children, their growth and development; and by serving as an advocate for children and their families within the community at large.