Dr. Benard P. Dreyer and Dr. Mary Ann Abrams, two of the co-chairs on the Advisory Committee.      Supplement on Health Literacy in Pediatrics Features ROR Medical Champions By Perri Klass, MD We would like to call your attention to the new Supplement published by PEDIATRICS (November 2009 / VOLUME 124 / ISSUE Supplement). The material on "Health Literacy and Children" comes out of a Project Advisory Committee at the AAP, co-chaired by longtime ROR champions, Dr. Mary Ann Abrams and Dr. Benard P. Dreyer. They also led a conference on the issue, which generated the articles published in the Supplement. Dr. Dreyer said, "Health literacy is an important problem in the US; 90 million adults have low health literacy and all of us have problems with health literacy in the right situations. We as pediatricians need tobe aware that our patients frequently don't understand what we are saying in oral conversation or in written materials. This conference focused on understanding what we know about these issues and creates an agenda for action. We think the Supplement is the beginning of a process for the AAP and for all of us to change what we're doing so that patients understand us. This is just the beginning." Special appreciation goes to Dr. Mariana Glusman, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, and Medical Director for ROR Illinois, for leading the effort on writing and editing this valuable new tool. Dr. Abrams added, "It is critical that we recognize the key role of health literacy in ensuring high quality, safe, and equitable care for all children and their families. We are pleased with these steps-including the Conference, a Plain Language Pediatrics Guidebook, and health literacy-related Pedialink module-the Academy is taking to address health literacy and advance the field, especially as it relates to pediatrics. All of us who worked on the Project Advisory Committee, the Conference, and the Supplement hope that practitioners who understand the value of ROR and value the integral linkage to early literacy - that in turn shapes and influences health literacy - will also become strong advocates for health literacy issues.   Return