Paediatric clinicians can learn useful lessons by tracking the health misinformation their patients encounter, according to research presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics 2026 National Conference, held October 2-6 in San Diego.

Researchers surveyed medical professionals on the misinformation they heard from patients — what category it fit into, whether they felt prepared to address it and what strategies worked. The survey covered Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), among others.

The authors found that more than 50 per cent of the misinformation recorded at CHOP involved vaccines. Topics also included aluminum, acetaminophen, ADHD and supplements, reported Medical Xpress.

CHOP researchers used the data to create Pediatric Health Chat, a public-facing website with educational information debunking the misinformation families reported encountering in everyday life. They also used the results to develop internal training for hospital practitioners.

“Looking at these trends allowed us to see in real time what was worrying the families we care for,” said study author Dr Katie Lockwood. “As trusted messengers, children’s hospitals have an obligation to respond.”