Though we routinely screen for adverse childhood experiences (ACE) at the clinic where I am a pediatric resident physician, I was thrilled to read Perri Klass’s Aug. 8 Health & Science article about the importance of promoting positive childhood experiences (PCE) and creating spaces for community and support at home [“Shaping your child’s future with small moments of joy”]. As a pediatrician in training, I am tasked with diagnosing medical conditions, addressing family concerns and providing anticipatory guidance about the child’s next year of life in 30 minutes or less, a time frame eerily similar to a pizza delivery promise.
As any physician in the American health-care system knows, there is simply not enough time. The JAMA Pediatrics article referenced by Dr. Klass notes that nearly 1 in 2 children in the United States have been exposed to ACEs, which are known to increase the risk of numerous medical conditions and decrease both academic and economic achievement.
Given the limitations in primary care, it is time that we invest in our children by developing universal medical homes, an interdisciplinary health-care model promoted by the American Academy of Pediatrics that provides comprehensive, family-centered care and addresses each patient’s specific needs, both in the clinic and in the community. By supporting families through their lived experiences, physicians and caregivers alike can dedicate more time to PCEs and provide our children with the future they deserve.
Laura Arvin, Philadelphia
