Behavior Change in Pediatric Care lasting improvements in child health often depend less on a single prescription and more on the everyday behaviours of children, adolescents, and their families. This session on Behavior Change in Pediatric Care explores how clinicians can move beyond advice-giving toward structured, evidence-based behaviour change strategies that fit real lives. Whether the goal is improving medication adherence, healthy eating, physical activity, sleep routines, screen-time management, or treatment follow-through for chronic conditions, behaviour change science offers practical tools that can be integrated into routine visits.

Healthcare professionals increasingly turn to Pediatrics Conference for guidance on translating psychology and implementation science into busy clinical environments. In this session, participants will examine how to use motivational interviewing principles, goal-setting frameworks, and habit formation strategies tailored to different developmental stages. Emphasis is placed on collaborative conversations that respect family priorities, cultural context, and constraints such as time, finances, and living arrangements. Rather than framing non-adherence as “non-compliance,” the discussion reframes it as a solvable problem of fit between the care plan and the child’s world.

Central to the session is the design of effective pediatric behavior change interventions that are simple enough for everyday use yet robust enough to influence outcomes. Case examples will illustrate approaches for asthma control, diabetes self-management, obesity treatment, sleep hygiene, and behavioural challenges linked to neurodevelopmental conditions. Participants will learn to identify readiness to change, negotiate realistic small steps, and use follow-up contacts to reinforce progress. The session also explores how to harness strengths and resources in families, schools, and communities to support sustained change, rather than relying solely on clinic-based conversations.

Another focus is the role of digital tools—such as reminders, gamified apps, telehealth check-ins, and patient portals—in supporting behaviour change while avoiding overload or inequity. Faculty will discuss when technology adds value and when low-tech methods like paper trackers or family contracts may be more effective. Discussions will also address clinician wellbeing, acknowledging that behaviour change counseling requires time, emotional energy, and institutional support. By the end of the session, attendees will have practical scripts, planning templates, and measurement ideas to embed behaviour change into everyday pediatric practice, making consultations more collaborative, goal-oriented, and impactful.