In today’s complex and changing health care system, health care professionals can improve the way they carry out each visit by using an innovative health promotion curriculum developed specifically to help professionals integrate Bright Futures principles into clinical practice.

This unique curriculum, developed by a health promotion work group supported by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, includes 6 core concepts:

• Partnership
• Communication
• Health promotion/illness prevention
• Time management
• Education
• Advocacy

A summary of each of these core concepts is presented on the following pages to help all professionals, both those in training and experienced practitioners, bring Bright Futures alive and make it happen for children and families. For more information about this unique health promotion curriculum, visit www.pediatricsinpractice.org.

All 6 core concepts rely on the health care professionals’ skills in using open-ended questions to communicate effectively, partner with and educate children and their families, and serve as their advocates to promote health and prevent illness in a time-efficient manner.

Open-ended questions

• Help to start a conversation
• Ask: “Why?” “How?” “What?”
• Are interpretive
• Have a wide range of possible answers
• Stimulate thinking
• Promote problem solving

Examples:

• How do you and your partner manage the baby’s behavior? What do you do when you disagree?
• (To a child) Tell me about your favorite activities at school.

Techniques

• Begin with affirming questions.

Example:

• “What are some games you’re really good at?”
• Wait at least 3 seconds to allow the family to respond to the question.
• Ask questions in a supportive way to encourage communication.