Communication with Sick Child’s Parents

Children, like adults, frequently inquire about the nature of their sickness, treatment, and eventual death. Answers to queries should be forthcoming, truthful, and age-appropriate. Adolescent and child patients benefit from age-appropriate explanations of their condition, symptom management, and end-of-life planning. Adolescents are more likely to feel comfortable talking to doctors if they are actively involved in their care planning. Children’s communication needs to consider their age, stage of development, and any neurological abnormalities they may have. The child should be the focus of all communication, while parents may also be involved in discussions about care depending on the child’s age. When addressing the child’s care, including all appropriate family members is essential. Parents of children with terminal illnesses say that challenges in talking to doctors and nurses about the child’s impending death rank high on their list of sources of stress. Including family members in the care planning process is essential to having open discussions about treatment options. It can be challenging to gauge the child’s and their parents’ comprehension while discussing the child’s life-limiting disease in the same conversation.