Empowering Children and Parents Through Technology: Opportunities, Challenges, and Future Directions

Am J Manag Care. 2026;31(1):In Press

Takeaway Points

To realize the promise of technology in pediatric care, this commentary recommends the following strategies:

• Enhance health benefits for employees and their families by integrating user-friendly digital tools that provide real-time support and education for pediatric care.
• Promote equitable access by investing in solutions that address the digital divide for underserved populations.
• Support policies that encourage the development of secure, evidence-based digital health applications that are appropriate for children’s developmental needs.
• Facilitate care coordination through interoperable digital platforms that connect families, schools, and health care providers.

The digital era has ushered in a paradigm shift in how children and parents access health information and manage care. Digital platforms ranging from social media and forums to dedicated health websites and mobile applications are now vital resources for families navigating pediatric health challenges. Children and young people are increasingly engaging with digital health solutions from an early age, often serving as catalysts for broader family adoption of technology.

Types and Benefits of Digital Platforms

Parents commonly utilize social media and online forums to seek peer support, share experiences, and access advice from others facing similar challenges.¹ Dedicated health platforms, such as e-Powered Parents and Connecting2gether, provide tailored resources, including medical information and interactive support modules.^2-4 Mobile-friendly platforms further enhance accessibility and engagement, making health management more practical for busy caregivers.¹

The benefits of digital platforms are manifold. Parents report improved access to critical health information, which aids in managing their child’s condition.^1-3 These platforms also foster community connections, reducing feelings of isolation among caregivers.^1,4 Real-time assistance features, such as live coaching, offer immediate support for navigating health challenges and technical issues.⁴

Challenges and Barriers

Despite these advantages, significant challenges remain. The digital divide rooted in socioeconomic disparities limits technology access and comfort for lower-income families.¹ Usability challenges can obstruct the efficient use of a platform. For instance, poor usability might manifest as navigation menus that are difficult to understand, prompting parents to leave the platform before finishing tasks like scheduling appointments or obtaining educational materials. Conversely, high usability is defined by user-friendly interfaces that offer clear guidance, easily accessible resources, and straightforward processes, allowing parents to manage their child’s health needs smoothly and without frustration.^2-4

Privacy concerns and the quality of shared information are also ongoing ethical considerations. A significant privacy concern pertains to the risk of unauthorized access or accidental sharing of children’s health information, often due to insufficient authentication methods or poorly organized consent processes. For instance, if verification measures are weak, unauthorized individuals might access a caregiver’s online account and reveal sensitive health details. To address this issue, digital tools should implement multilayered access controls and multifactor authentication specifically designed for children’s health scenarios. For example, a mobile application aimed at parents could integrate 2-step verification that combines a password with a biometric factor, such as a fingerprint. It could also offer detailed consent options that let parents dictate what information is shared with health care providers, educational institutions, or relatives. Additionally, the app could give children straightforward, age-appropriate information about privacy and motivate them to engage in the secure handling of their health data.¹

Child-Centered Digital Health Education

Children are not merely passive recipients of care; they are active participants in their health management. Health apps can create personalized learning spaces where children acquire knowledge about conditions, healthy lifestyles, and preventive measures. As health services increasingly adopt a “digital front door,” children may be required to self-manage mild conditions and prepare for transitions to adult care, including managing digital health records and safe information sharing. Child-centered design involves intentionally integrating children’s developmental stages and preferences into digital health tools. This includes utilizing interactive gamification methods, age-appropriate visual storytelling, and simpler language to enhance engagement and comprehension for young users.⁵

Children can also act as digital bridges, facilitating the adoption of digital health tools among caregivers with limited digital literacy. However, pediatric apps and wearables must prioritize safety, age appropriateness, and developmental relevance. Too often, adult health apps are simply extended to include children without sufficient consideration of their unique needs.⁵

Designing Effective Digital Health Solutions

Recent research highlights the importance of developmentally appropriate, interactive, and engaging digital health solutions. Children report that current online information is often “dry,” “boring,” or “scary” and not tailored to their circumstances. Professional-endorsed mobile apps are preferred over generic online searches, as they offer relevant, age-specific content and support for explaining conditions to peers, reducing isolation, and adhering to care plans.⁴ This approach requires intentionally crafted language and user interfaces that resonate with children’s cognitive and emotional stages, as demonstrated in the Table. The Table illustrates specific examples contrasting typical non–child-centered language with communication tailored to children’s developmental and emotional needs, reinforcing the importance of child-centered design principles in pediatric digital health tools.

Conclusions

Digital health platforms have immense potential to empower children and parents in managing pediatric health conditions. To maximize the impact of digital health platforms, future developments must address accessibility, usability, and privacy concerns while ensuring content is developmentally appropriate and culturally sensitive. By integrating technology with traditional support systems and prioritizing child-centered design, we can optimize health outcomes and foster stronger partnerships between families and health care providers.

Author Affiliation: Nursing Care Research Center, Clinical Sciences Institute, Faculty of Nursing, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Source of Funding: None.

Author Disclosures: The author reports no relationship or financial interest with any entity that would pose a conflict of interest with the subject matter of this article.

Authorship Information: Concept and design; acquisition of data; analysis and interpretation of data; drafting of the manuscript; critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content; and supervision.

Address Correspondence to: Shamsi Atefeh, PhD, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Molla Sadra St, Tehran, Iran 0098. Email: noor13500@yahoo.com.

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2. Akdeniz Uysal D, Yigit R. Assessment of the effectiveness of a web-based family centered empowerment program for the parents of children with oncological problems: randomized controlled trial. J Pediatr Nurs. 2025;83:69-81. doi: 10.1016/j.pedn.2025.04.018

3. Mulligan K, Hirani SP, Harris S, Taylor J, Wedderburn LR, Newman S; WebParC Investigator Group. The effects of a web-based tool for parents of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: randomized controlled trial. J Med Internet Res. 2022;24(5): e29787. doi:10.2196/29787

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