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Bright Futures recognizes the importance of relational health defined as “the capacity to develop and sustain safe, stable, nurturing relationships (SSNRs,) which in turn prevent the extreme or prolonged activation of the body’s stress response systems.”1
Relational health prioritizes the child-family relationship first when assessing patient and family health and well-being.
References
1Garner A, Yogman M; Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health, Section on Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Council on Early Childhood. Preventing childhood toxic stress: partnering with families and communities to promote relational health. Pediatrics. 2021;148(2):e2021052582
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Relational health, similar to Bright Futures, is a strength-based approach that focuses on a person’s potential, strengths, and capabilities as well as providing resources to buffer adversity and build resilience.
Bright Futures follows the ecobiodevelopmental model of health and disease which is sensitive to the impact social determinants (drivers) of health (SDOH) have on a child and family’s health and well-being.
Strengthening relational health facilitates the pediatric healthcare professional and the medical home to promote strengths and protective factors (eg, family relationships and support, childcare, parental well-being) while mitigating risk factors and toxic stress (see: racism, poverty, food/housing insecurity, substance use, intimate partner violence).
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