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.