Ordinance No. ⁹⁸⁰ of the Ministry of Health (MS), from December 1989, defines adolescence as the age range from 10 to 20 years of age. In October 1997, the Brazilian Society of Pediatrics (SBP) adopted adolescence as an area of ​​pediatric practice in the following terms: “The SBP, within its purpose of providing comprehensive care to human beings throughout the period of growth and development, informs pediatricians, public and private institutions of the Health System, as well as health insurance companies, that the area of ​​practice of pediatricians includes medical care for patients from the last trimester of pregnancy until 20 years of age, including children and adolescents.”

Almost ten years later, we observe that Brazilian pediatricians still resist caring for adolescents. This attitude seems to result from a lack of knowledge of the specificities of this age group and the appropriate conduct to address their specific problems. It may also result from the tendency to reject, at all costs, the adolescent that exists within each pediatrician and that emerges in the figure of his/her patient.

Attention to the health of adolescents becomes a priority as their vulnerability due to the accelerated pace of growth and development—typical of their life cycle—becomes more clearly visible, as well as the multiple causes and interfaces of the problems that affect them, in addition to the possibility of always acting in a preventive manner.

The aim of caring for this segment of the population is to monitor growth and development, both organic and emotional, detect risk situations, encourage self-care, value the role of the family with a view to harmonizing the complaints of parents and children, and establish bonds of trust that favor open dialogue about adolescent health and life issues, such as the prevention of accidents, vaccine-preventable diseases, drug use, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), pregnancy, suicide, among others. Ultimately, ensuring the transition of adolescents to adulthood in a healthy way.

All these concepts reveal the importance of pediatrician assistance to adolescents, whether in multidisciplinary teams of health services, as a pediatrician in the Family Health Program (PSF) and/or alone in their office.

Consistent with the aforementioned principles, the Organizing Committee of the 33rd ^Brazilian Congress of Pediatrics scheduled moments to discuss adolescent health among the event’s activities. Furthermore, in partnership with Farmoquímica and the Center for Studies on Adolescent Health (NESA), it is offering all congress participants this 11th ^edition of the magazine Adolescence & Health.dedicated to addressing topics such as hypertension, metabolic syndrome, rheumatic fever, kidney diseases, asthma, parasitic diseases, celiac disease, hospitalization, the Internet and the occurrence of responsible motherhood and fatherhood in adolescence.

As can be concluded, adolescence is an important area of ​​activity of the congress. Therefore, take advantage of the rich opportunity of this great event of Brazilian pediatrics and read the updated text of this qualified publication.