The New York State American Academy of Pediatrics, representing more than 5,000 pediatricians across the state, is committed to assuring the health and well-being of all children everywhere. The current crisis in Israel and Gaza is putting innocent, non-combatant children at severe risk of injury and death. As pediatricians, we call for all parties to the conflict to prioritize the protection of children on both sides of this catastrophic conflict. The physical and psychological trauma being caused to children by this conflict will have life-long repercussions on an entire generation. Children are not the cause of this conflict, but the violence is injuring and killing them. We stand with the children of Israel and the children of Gaza and call for an immediate cease fire, release of all hostages and provision of basic human necessities to all victims.

Sincerely,

Warren M. Seigel MD, MBA, FAAP, FSAHM
Chair, New York State American Academy of Pediatrics (NYS AAP)

A Message From the AAP President

Oct. 14, 2023

Members of the Academy:

…

As the Academy’s own policy statement, “The Effects of Armed Conflict on Children,” lays out, children are often the ones to suffer the most in any armed conflict. The AAP states “the acute and chronic effects of armed conflict on child health and well-being are among the greatest children’s rights violations of the 21st century.” This was true when the policy statement was originally published in 2018, and it remains true today. The AAP is committed to advocating for the health and safety of children worldwide.

As media coverage in the U.S. of the war continues and unfiltered content is shared in social media platforms, children may see upsetting footage and have questions. For guidance on how to talk with children about what is going on in Israel and Gaza, see this HealthyChildren.org article. You can also find information for families about how to shield their children from traumatic events in the news and on social media here. And here is our message linking to these resources on various social media platforms Thursday.

Let’s support each other during this difficult time.

Sincerely,

Sandy Chung, MD, FAAP
President