Pediatric Parents Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Communicating with Children, Adolescents, and Caregivers Communication with pediatric patients is unique from communicating with adult patients in that the developmental state of the child must be considered. Proper education of both the parent and child can help to increase medication safety, adherence, outcomes, and overall satisfaction with the healthcare that they receive. Some studies have indicated that pharmacists only educate children on their medications 20-30% of the time. This may partially be due to lack of knowledge on how to properly counsel pediatric patients and involve them in conversations about their own healthcare. Likewise, it is also important to consider the health literacy of the parent. Improper education on measuring, confusing instructions, and incorrect measuring devices are common causes of incorrect dosing for patients at home. Children as young as 3 years can generally begin having some level of involvement in their healthcare, though the level of involvement must be individualized to the cognitive level of the child. Piaget’s classification of cognitive development is a useful framework for assessing ability in children without learning disabilities or cognitive

At younger ages especially, following up with yes/no or close ended questions can be helpful to gain further understanding. All conversations must be focused as this will help to improve educational value. Studies indicate that children care most about the following topics: medication taste, when to take it, if it will help them get better, how long it will take for the medication to work, adverse effects of the medication, and overall why they are taking it. It is also important to emphasize medication safety and for the child to report any improper use of the