Common Senses Tips For Communicating with Pediatric Patients

When you think about improving communication with patients, you might think of using social media, having mobile options, or sending appointment reminders. These tools are beneficial for some, but not all types of patients. Pediatric patients need different communication methods so that they have a positive experience.

Children are often afraid of the doctor or at least nervous about going. But there are ways that you can help with this.

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Before diving in I want to stress that I’m not a medical professional and how you communicate with your patients in any capacity is ultimately up to you as the expert. However, as a patient and as someone who has heard complaints from others who have children. We want to share communication tips we’ve heard from them as well as some that may seem like common sense.

The first thing that you can do is let your child patients warm up to you. Since they might be nervous about being at the doctor, you want to make them feel as comfortable as possible. This is where your waiting room comes into play. Having activities for children to play with before they head back to their visit will help keep their minds off of their appointment. Thus, they’ll have less anxiety. But once they’re in the exam room, their fears may return. Make conversation with children patients about topics other than their condition. This helps you get to know them and establishes a healthy relationship. If you’re able to relate with them in any way, then they’ll trust you even more.

Some things you could talk about with children patients to help relate to them are schools, sports, their weekend plans, or their favorite book or movie. This gets them talking about something they’re comfortable with so that they aren’t so focused on their fears of the appointment.

Next, you should make the environment comfortable. Although this isn’t a way to communicate, it helps make the process easier. A comfortable environment will help pediatric patients relax. You can decorate the waiting room and exam rooms with fun themes which can also be a good conversation starter. Even keep small toys or stuffed animals in the room for patients to hold during the visit to help them stay calm. But make sure you sanitize any items that you provide. The best way to know if patients are comfortable is by talking to them. Ask them if there’s anything you can do to improve their experience. This also shows you care, and they might feel better about opening up to you.

You should always talk with pediatric patients on their level. Each age group has a different way they communicate. Toddlers won’t communicate the same as school-aged children. It’s helpful to be silly and goofy with this very young group. But school-aged kids will like to know they can relate to you in some way, and they love talking about things they’re interested in. This is why my first point is so helpful. Conversations with teenagers need to be different than your conversations with children, even though they’re still pediatric patients. They want to be treated like they’re adults, not kids. So talk to them with respect and as you would with adults, and they’ll be more receptive to you.

Walk your pediatric patients through the appointment so they know what to expect. Explain the process to them so they know what will happen, that way they can relax a bit. Even preparing them for simple things can help, like warning them that the stethoscope will be cold. You could also talk to them to distract them during the unpleasant parts of the appointment. Another option is to let them help with the appointment. Kids are very hands-on, and while they won’t be able to do everything, you can let them help with some parts of the visit. This will help them feel more in control of the experience.

When you walk them through their appointment and explain things regarding their conditions, you need to use simple terms. Usually, this information will pertain more to the parents than their young kids. But you’ll still want to use understandable terms. Some older kids might be able to understand though if you use appropriate language. Use simpler terms, or even give examples and use analogies that they’d understand.

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