How to talk to parents

Effective communication with the child and his/her parents is of paramount importance in our daily work in paediatric radiology to establish a trusting relationship and enhance satisfaction for both patients and physicians. Although communication skills and empathy can be effectively taught, and efforts have been made in this area in medical schools, there is still much room for improvement, as communication skills tend to decline throughout medical training. Certain methods are valuable for conducting effective consultations with both the child and the parents, not only when breaking bad news. Paying attention to non-verbal cues can improve our understanding of the family’s thoughts and enhance our ability to communicate through all channels. Rethinking the general environment of the department and consultation/ultrasound rooms may also promote effective communication. Having basic knowledge of intercultural communication and strategies for communicating with families with low literacy skills can also be beneficial. In paediatric interventional radiology, specific techniques can be used to better explain the procedure and the concept of risk and to address the family’s anxiety.