Health care for children of immigrant families

The intent of this statement is to inform practitioners about the special health care needs and vulnerabilities of immigrant children and their families and to suggest clinical approaches to various aspects of their care. Immigrant children and their families, a large and diverse population group, have numerous risks to physical health and functioning and may be unfamiliar with our health care services. They often face many barriers to care, and their special risks and needs may not be familiar or readily apparent to many health care providers. Recently enacted federal welfare and immigration reform measures may increase the vulnerability of this population by limiting its access to health and social services. For multiple ethical and medical reasons, the American Academy of Pediatrics has historically opposed, and continues to oppose, denying needed services to any child residing within the borders of the United States.