AI Applications in Pediatrics: Past, Present, and Future

Abstract

In pediatric medicine, Artificial Intelligence (AI) currently remains as a novel area for research and development. Most AI applications created for adults are often complicated to fully transfer over to pediatrics due to several limiting factors. These factors include physiological differences, lack of data, and unknown implications. Nevertheless, applications in adult medicine have influenced extensive reviews for algorithms that show significant potential in pediatrics. As pediatric data gradually increases, several AI algorithms for adults can be fine-tuned to provide similar accuracies and sensitivities for diagnosing specific pediatric diseases. This chapter will discuss the pioneering applications of AI in medicine as well as current and arising applications or subspecialties. Areas of discussion encompass precision medicine, oncology, cardiology, radiology, chatbots, neurology, and ophthalmology. AI algorithms within these domains range from assistance with diagnoses, shorter waiting times, to continuous monitoring. Common benefits exhibited by many applications include increased accuracy, time and cost efficiency, patient compliance, and flexibility. For example, medical wearable technology and chatbots are two AI applications that can provide certain patient care in both outpatient and inpatient settings. These algorithms are convenient to use and offer continuous monitoring when a provider may not be readily available. Furthermore, other topics explored in this chapter relate to common concerns for using AI in pediatric medicine and education for health professionals, parents, and children. Most apprehension pertains to the misuse of data and quality of care. Reviewing these concerns is crucial for AI to exponentially flourish in medicine. Without established comprehension, hesitance and distrust may prevail over the promising potential AI can offer. Education and training can help alleviate these common misunderstandings by explaining how AI can affect both medicine and health care. Moreover, learning environments can allow health professionals, parents, and children to openly communicate their concerns that could guide ethical frameworks for developing AI applications. Analyzing these past, present, future applications, and related concerns can help demonstrate how AI will transform pediatric medicine.