12% of Military-connected Children Diagnosed With Medical Complexity by Age 5

Approximately 1 in 9 military-connected children were diagnosed with complex medical conditions by age 5, according to a study that analyzed data over a 15-year period. The study, “Incidence of Medical Complexity in Military-Connected Children,” published in the May 2025 Pediatrics (published online April 8) found that most diagnoses were made during infancy and were strongly associated with preterm birth, low birthweight and congenital anomalies. Children with medical complexity are at substantially increased risk for adverse health outcomes and death, justifying the need for programs and policies to support their specialized needs. According to an analysis of 975,233 live births to military-connected families between 2005-2020, about 12% (n=108,133) showed diagnoses of medical complexity by age 5. Researchers used data from the Department of Defense Birth and Infant Health Research program to identify the live births and used health care claims to identify the cumulative number of children with medical complexity. One-third of the children were diagnosed during the neonatal period and almost two-thirds were diagnosed during infancy, according to the study. The authors conclude that the results provide valuable data to justify use of early intervention services as well as other programs and policies that support health care access, regularly scheduled health assessments, and care coordination for military-connected children.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.