Facial Recognition: More Than Just a Phone Problem

Mask-to-mask encounters are the norm in every health care setting these days. In some ways,as everyone is forced to develop communication strategies for building rapport without the benefit of friendly smiles, our job as pediatricians communicating with children and parents is no more difficult than for everyone else. However, pediatricians are a special kind of physician who generally hone nonverbal communication skills early in our training,and the face is one of the earliest developmental social cues in infancy. Furthermore, especially in the medical home, it is our privilege and duty to foster a sense of safety and confidence in seeking medical care. In this column, we review what the current research has to say about the impact of masks on physician-patient relationships and communication, as well as the science of other nonverbal communication strategies and social cues.