The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics is proud to recognize Jaime McKinney, M.D., associate professor in the Division of Academic General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, for being honored by the Alabama Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AL-AAP) for her leadership in the Pages Over Pixels campaign.
AL-AAP is a statewide organization committed to promoting optimal health and well-being for children in Alabama while providing educational and practice support for its members. Guided by values that center children as essential members of society who deserve strong advocates, the chapter works to ensure pediatricians have the tools and resources needed to deliver the highest quality care.
As the chapter’s Screen Time Use Chapter Champion, McKinney conceptualized the department’s participation in a series of community baby showers designed to help expectant mothers reduce screen time in young children and promote early childhood literacy. On July 19, McKinney and the Pages Over Pixels team co-hosted a Montgomery Community Baby Shower alongside the Montgomery Education Foundation’s Bold Goals Campaign. The event welcomed more than 25 expectant mothers, children and family members, connecting them with maternal health, breastfeeding, child development and family support resources.
McKinney was recognized for her outreach efforts and for strengthening awareness of the Pages Over Pixels initiative, which encourages families to choose books and play over digital screen use in young children. The project includes educational materials for providers and families at PagesOverPixels.org. The initiative was funded through a grant from the Alabama Department of Mental Health, allowing the project to expand across the state.
In addition to the Montgomery event, the Pages Over Pixels team helped coordinate four community baby showers throughout Central Alabama, recorded a public service announcement encouraging healthy media habits and collaborated with the Reach Out and Read Summer Reading Campaign to support early literacy. The project also launched PagesOverPixels.org, a resource hub that assists families, providers and community partners with tools for reducing screen time and promoting reading.
As part of the campaign, McKinney and guest speaker Rachel Franz, M.Ed., of FairPlay for Kids, presented at the Alabama Chapter’s Annual Meeting in Birmingham held Sept. 12–14, 2025, to provide pediatricians with deeper insight on screen time and strategies to support families.
“It has been such a privilege collaborating with the Alabama Chapter of the AAP on the Pages Over Pixels initiative,” McKinney said. “Together, we’ve made strides in helping families recognize the power of reading and informing the community about the risks of excessive screen exposure during early childhood.”
“It’s nice to be recognized for the work related to a topic I am passionate about,” McKinney said. “I hope the AAP continues to advocate for vulnerable children, especially those most in need.”
Many Alabama pediatricians have begun integrating screen-time counseling into newborn discharge instructions and well-child visits, but time limitations can make the conversation difficult to include. Pages Over Pixels provides simple tools and talking points that help pediatricians bring this guidance into routine care.
Through this work, McKinney continues to support AL-AAP’s vision of children in Alabama being happy and healthy and pediatricians being supported and empowered to advocate for families across the state.