Consulting Editor, Dr. Bonita Stanton has worked closely with Guest Editors Drs. David R. Rosenberg and Leslie H. Lundahl to create a current issue devoted to substance abuse in children. Expert authors have written clinical review articles with the goal of providing the pediatrician with the latest information on substances and addiction medicine. The first half of the issue focuses on the following substances: Nicotine Use Disorders in Adolescents; Alcohol Use Disorders in Adolescents; Cannabis Use and Consequences; Medical and Non-Medical Use of Opiates; Stimulant Use and Cognitive Enhancement; and Club Drugs. The second half of the issue focuses on special topics important to pediatricians: Contingency Management for Substance Use Disorders; Behavioral Addictions: Gambling, Gaming, Internet; Juvenile Drug Court: Novel Approach to Treatment; Computer-Assisted Approaches to Substance Abuse Treatment; Co-Morbid Substance Use and Other Psychiatric Disorders; and Drug Use in Pregnant Teens. Readers will come away with the information they need to stay current on this changing field and to improve patient outcomes.

Consulting Editor, Dr. Bonita Stanton has worked closely with Guest Editors Drs. David R. Rosenberg and Leslie H. Lundahl to create a current issue devoted to substance abuse in children. Expert authors have written clinical review articles with the goal of providing the pediatrician with the latest information on substances and addiction medicine. The first half of the issue focuses on the following substances: Nicotine Use Disorders in Adolescents; Alcohol Use Disorders in Adolescents; Cannabis Use and Consequences; Medical and Non-Medical Use of Opiates; Stimulant Use and Cognitive Enhancement; and Club Drugs. The second half of the issue focuses on special topics important to pediatricians: Contingency Management for Substance Use Disorders; Behavioral Addictions: Gambling, Gaming, Internet; Juvenile Drug Court: Novel Approach to Treatment; Computer-Assisted Approaches to Substance Abuse Treatment; Co-Morbid Substance Use and Other Psychiatric Disorders; and Drug Use in Pregnant Teens. Readers will come away with the information they need to stay current on this changing field and to improve patient outcomes.

Dr. Aranda is an top expert in the area of pharmacology in the pediatric population. His issue has knowledgeable authors presenting clinical reviews on a wide variety of topics, from "hot areas " of drug therapy to drug abuse in children as well as current areas of debate in neonatal drug therapy. Articles are devoted to the following topics: New and Current Drug Therapies For Asthma In Children; Psychopharmacology Of Bipolar Disorders in Children and Adolescents; Designer Drug Abuse in School Children; Dietary Supplements in Children; Anticoagulant Therapies in Children; New Antimicrobials for Gram-Positive Infections in Children; Probiotics in Newborns And Children; Anticonvulsant Therapies in Newborns and Children; Immunomodulator Drug Therapies in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases in Children; Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs in Newborns and Children; Metformin Use in Pre-Diabetic Children and Adolescents; Problems in Drug Dosing of Obese Children; Inhaled Drugs and Systemic Steroids for Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia; Antifungal Drugs in Newborns and Children; Antiviral Drugs In Newborns and Children; and Development of Drug Therapies for Newborns and Children. Readers will come away with the latest clinical information to help inform them when diagnosing and prescribing for children.

Together with Consulting Editor Dr. Bonita Stanton, Drs. Steven Kairys and Arturo Brito have put together a comprehensive issue that addresses Vulnerable Children in the United States. Expert authors have contributed clinical review articles on the following topics: Adverse Childhood Experiences and Outcomes; Abuse and Neglect/Foster Care/Family Violence; Homelessness/Street/Children/Undocumented/Community Violence; 20 Questions (and Answers) About Media Violence and Cyberbullying; Autism as a Representative of Disability; Addiction including Tobacco and Drugs in Children; Food Insecurity and the Impact on Child Health; Guns and School Violence; The Vulnerability of Children; The Vulnerability of LGBTQ Children; Implicit Bias Impact on Children; Supporting Immigrant Children and Youth: What Pediatricians Can Do; and Human Trafficking. Readers will come away with the information they need to improve outcomes in vulnerable pediatric patients.

Pediatric primary care provides a unique opportunity to tackle child abuse and neglect. In the United States in particular, primary care is a well-established system, and most children have multiple visits, especially in the first few years. There is typically a very good relationship between parents and health professionals, who are respected experts on children. The interested pediatrician, thus, has a remarkable entrée into the workings of a family, its shortcomings, and its strengths. With some knowledge and skill, pediatricians can play a pivotal role, even in a few strategic minutes. We know, however, that some professionals feel very uncomfortable becoming involved in this unpleasant area and may be deterred from taking any action. Understandable as this may be, it can jeopardize a child’s health and safety. Hopefully, this issue of Pediatric Clinics of North America will help make this work a bit easier, albeit not easy. With training and support, pediatricians can equip themselves to be competent and more comfortable addressing child maltreatment. Aside from the possible forensic implications, the heart of this work is primarily about helping families take adequate or good care of their children. Indeed, helping address child abuse and neglect also helps promote children’s health, development, and safety, and it is central to the rich mandate of Pediatrics.