Communication Between the Patient and the Pediatrist in the Views of Children and Adults

Background. The quality of the relationship between the doctor, the patient and the family has a significantly influence on the treatment - the greater the younger the patient is. Better communication mobilize the patient to fight illness, improve his diagnostic and prognosis. Objectives. The aim of the study was to assess the patient - pediatrist relationship seen by parents and children, as well as, the types of children' behavior before and during a meeting with the doctor. Material and Methods. an anonymous questionnaire was given to 190 children in the age of 5 to 13 and 90 parents of children of the same age. Two author's questionnaire with close question was used. One of them was for adults and the other for children. Children's questionnaire had pictures, which helped to communicate with them. Results. Despite the fact that majority of parents prepare child for a meeting with the doctor, children do not like to see paediatrician (85%), cry in front of a consulting room (38%) and behave naughty during the doctor's examination (35%). The children, who sit on parents' knee in the consulting room, are not afraid of a doctor and 70% of them behave politely. Only 21% parents behave that way. Good habits are going together - parents whose children sat on their knee also commendable more frequently their children for a proper behavior (94%). Children appreciate the doctor's smile (91%) and the ability to speak clearly and comprehensibly (79%). In childrens opinion doctors do not talk with them (55%). More than half of parents consider that doctors are impatient and 56% think that they behave in the unreasonable manner. In the opinion of 96% parents it is a correlation between the good doctor's attitude to the child and parent's trust. According to 91% of the questioned, good paediatrician's attitude have an influence on respecting doctor's recommendations. Conclusions. The majority of parents do not know how they should behave during the paediatric examination. That causes cry and aggression in their children. In children opinion, doctors talk only with parents and do not make a conversation with them. In parents' opinion, doctors are too impatient and do not expend enough time for examination and conversation with children. Parents who notice good doctor's attitude to the child, are more likely trustful to the paediatrician and respecting doctor's recommendations