[Artificial intelligence in preventive medicine for children and adolescents-applications and acceptance].
Journal:
Bundesgesundheitsblatt, Gesundheitsforschung, Gesundheitsschutz
Published Date:
Aug 1, 2025
Abstract
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in pediatric and adolescent medicine offers numerous possibilities, particularly in the prevention of chronic diseases. AI-powered applications such as machine learning for the analysis of speech or movement patterns can, for example, help in the early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders or motor development delays. In addition, AI-based systems support the treatment of children with type 1 diabetes through automated insulin dosing (AID) systems.AI enables more accurate diagnoses and personalized therapeutic approaches and helps relieve the burden on medical personnel. At the same time, there are challenges associated with the use of AI, which is why only a few applications have so far become part of routine clinical practice. These challenges include the protection of sensitive data and the respect for informational self-determination, ensuring freedom from discrimination, algorithmic transparency, and the acceptance of AI by all involved groups such as children, adolescents, parents, and medical professionals. All stakeholders express concerns about potential misjudgments, the loss of personal interactions, and the possible commercial use of data. Parents and professionals emphasize the importance of clear communication, shared decision-making, and training to promote better understanding. Moreover, there is often a lack of structured, high-quality, large datasets in compatible formats to effectively train AI systems.A sustainable integration of AI in pediatric and adolescent medicine requires large-scale clinical studies, access to high-quality datasets, and a nuanced analysis of the ethical and social implications.
