About 2 million children in Germany descend from immigrants. Daily paediatricians experience barriers during treatment of these children. They are caused e.g. by language problems, insufficient information, different religions, world views, values, and by traditional roles in the immigrant families. Culture specific aspects should be recognized and acknowledged as far as appropriate. This applies to different concepts of disease and therapy and to attitude to handicaps. Social disadvantage and biography lead to an increased prevalence of various diseases and psychosocial disorders in children of immigrants. However, many of them use medical and social services to a lesser degree than they are entitled to. Inter-cultural openness and competence in medical services are recommended. This increases contentment and success of prevention and therapy. Local epidemiologic data are helpful to deliver effective immigrant-specific offerings. Promotion of both first and second language have a high priority. Own contributions of immigrants and their children are necessary for a successful integration.

Migration paediatrics Health child Vulnerable populations

doctor patient relation cultural anthropology Germany immigrant social psychology human immigration access to information professional practice pediatrics clinical practice psychosocial disorder language ethnology Social Work religion epidemiological data Treatment Outcome competence prevalence Article health care utilization medical service health care quality patient attitude social disability physical disability satisfaction child care health care delivery Child