Bonita F. Stanton, MD, Consulting Editor

This thoughtfully written issue examines children growing up in immigrant families and in families in which one or both parents are deployed in the military. It addresses the issue of gun violence, the ever-increasing screen time, and the impact of social media on behavior and development. It examines technological advances in screening and the prospects for and implications of early diagnosis on outcomes for autism and antisocial behavior. Through the lens of cystic fibrosis, it examines the developmental and behavioral implications of increased life expectancy among children with formerly fatal diseases as they exit childhood and enter what now holds the potential for a long adulthood. The issue concludes with two articles addressing advances in our understanding of therapies for children with special needs and an expanded community presence of palliative care, including its presence in the school system.

As pediatricians and other child specialists read this issue of Pediatric Clinics of North America , they likely will be struck with the realization that many of the exciting advances in technology and experiences that allow us to better understand child behavior and development in our communities and across the globe are the same advances that are influencing the behavioral and developmental arcs of today’s children and youth. At this point, this observation is not a value statement but rather an awareness with a sense that further analysis is warranted.