Foster Care, Pediatric

Wynne Morgan, MD Reviewed 04/2024

BASICS

DESCRIPTION

Youth in the care and custody of the state are a vulnerable population. Children and adolescents are removed from the care of parents and placed in foster care when there is substant...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

Foster care youth often present without a caregiver who knows a child's medical history, and medical and mental health records are often unavailable or difficult to access. Use of the...

TREATMENT

GENERAL MEASURES

Children entering foster care often arrive without medications or durable medical equipment (nebulizers, braces, etc.) needed for foster families to provide in-home care. Rev...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

Children in foster care should receive preventive health services according to the American Academy of Pediatrics' schedule for children in foster care. Additiona...

REFERENCES

Szilagyi MA, Rosen DS, Rubin D, et al; for Council on Foster Care, Adoption, and Kinship Care, Committee on Adolescence, Council on Early Childhood. Health care ...

ADDITIONAL READING

U.S. Government Accountability Office. Foster children: HHS guidance could help states improve oversight of psychotropic prescriptions. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Ac...

CODES

ICD10

Z62.21 Child in welfare custody
Z62.822 Parent-foster child conflict

SNOMED

160871009 Child in foster care
183431002 Foster care
224104006 Member of foster family
224105007 Member of foster famil...

CLINICAL PEARLS

Youth in foster care have specialized medical and mental health needs.
Youth should be seen by a primary care provider at point of entry into foster care, within 72 hours of entering ca...

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