PEDIATRICS Vol. 121 No. 5 May 2008, pp. e1441-e1460 (doi:10.1542/peds.2008-0565)

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TECHNICAL REPORT

Communicating With Children and Families: From Everyday Interactions to Skill in Conveying Distressing Information

ABSTRACT

Health care communication is a skill that is critical to safe and effective medical practice; it can and must be taught. Communication skill influences patient disclosure, treatment adherence and outcome, adaptation to illness, and bereavement. This article provides a review of the evidence regarding clinical communication in the pediatric setting, covering the spectrum from outpatient primary care consultation to death notification, and provides practical suggestions to improve communication with patients and families, enabling more effective, efficient, and empathic pediatric health care.

Key Words: patient-doctor communication • medical education • patient-centered and family centered care • medical home • health care outcomes • breaking bad news • death notification • assent • empathy • treatment adherence

Abbreviations: AAP—American Academy of Pediatrics • AACH—American Academy on Communication in Healthcare • ED—emergency department

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. Levetown From everyday practice to breaking bad news * New approaches help pediatricians communicate with patients AAP News, May 1, 2008; 29(5): 38 - 38. [Full Text] [PDF]