Child on examination table surrounded by large ears symbolizing active listening.

Is Your Doctor Really Hearing Your Child? How to Make Medical Visits Better

Samir D’Costa in Health & Wellness December 2025 • 3 min read.

"A new study reveals surprising communication gaps in pediatric care—and offers simple fixes to ensure kids feel heard and understood."

Communication is the foundation of effective healthcare. When doctors, patients, and families connect well, everything from diagnosis to treatment improves. In pediatrics, this connection is especially crucial, yet children's voices are often overshadowed by adults.

While the medical community has pushed for more patient-centered approaches, studies show that child participation in medical visits remains surprisingly low. Physicians sometimes miss opportunities to engage directly with young patients, and parents can unintentionally dominate the conversation.

Now, new research from a gastroenterology clinic sheds light on how specific communication styles affect a child's sense of being heard and understood. This article breaks down the study's findings and offers actionable strategies to help you advocate for your child during doctor's appointments.

What the Study Found: The Communication Styles That Matter

Child on examination table surrounded by large ears symbolizing active listening.

Researchers videotaped and analyzed 39 pediatric gastroenterology appointments, focusing on how doctors and parents interacted with the child patients. They looked at several communication behaviors, including:

Affective Communication: Chit-chat, empathy, and attempts to build rapport.
Facilitative Communication: Asking the child questions directly, encouraging them to share their thoughts.
Interference: Interrupting the child or answering questions for them.
Child Verbal Participation: How much the child spoke during the appointment.

After the visits, the children completed surveys about their experiences, rating how easy it was to understand the information, how much of a voice they felt they had, and their overall satisfaction with the communication. The results revealed some surprising connections:

Turning Research into Action: Tips for Better Doctor's Visits

The study's insights offer practical takeaways for parents and healthcare providers alike:

<ul><li>Don't underestimate chit-chat: A little friendly conversation can go a long way in making a child feel comfortable and improving their understanding.</li><li>Facilitate, don't interfere: Encourage your child to speak for themselves by asking direct questions and giving them time to respond. Avoid the urge to jump in and answer for them.</li><li>Remember, feeling heard matters: Even if a child doesn't fully understand everything, the simple act of listening attentively can boost their sense of having a voice and improve their overall satisfaction.</li></ul>

By making small changes to how we communicate during medical visits, we can create a more positive and empowering experience for young patients, setting them up for a lifetime of better health.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

Everything You Need To Know

What were the key communication behaviors analyzed in the pediatric gastroenterology study?

The recent study in a pediatric gastroenterology clinic highlighted the importance of communication styles during medical visits. Researchers analyzed interactions, focusing on 'Affective Communication' (chit-chat, empathy), 'Facilitative Communication' (asking the child questions), 'Interference' (interrupting the child), and 'Child Verbal Participation'. Children then rated their experiences, revealing connections between these behaviors and their sense of being heard.

What is the significance of 'Affective Communication' and 'Facilitative Communication' in pediatric healthcare?

'Affective Communication' involves using empathy and small talk to build a connection with the child. 'Facilitative Communication' means directly asking the child questions and encouraging them to express their thoughts. These techniques are crucial for making children feel comfortable and heard during medical visits. Without them, children may feel alienated or unimportant, which can negatively affect their overall healthcare experience.

How does 'Interference' during doctor's appointments impact a child's experience?

'Interference' refers to actions like interrupting a child or answering questions on their behalf. This behavior can significantly diminish a child's sense of having a voice during medical appointments. By minimizing 'Interference', healthcare providers and parents can create space for children to actively participate and feel more involved in their healthcare decisions.

Why is 'Child Verbal Participation' so important during medical visits, and what benefits does it offer?

'Child Verbal Participation' refers to the extent to which a child actively speaks and shares their thoughts during a medical appointment. Encouraging this participation is vital because it allows healthcare providers to gain a direct understanding of the child's perspective and experiences. Increased 'Child Verbal Participation' can lead to more accurate diagnoses and treatment plans tailored to the child's needs. The impact of this can significantly improve health outcomes.

What aspects were not covered by the study, and what future research could build upon these findings regarding communication in pediatric care?

While the study thoroughly examined communication styles and their impact, it could be expanded to include observations across a broader range of pediatric specialties beyond gastroenterology. Furthermore, future research might explore the long-term effects of consistent, positive communication on a child's attitude toward healthcare and their ability to advocate for their own health as they mature. This would provide a more comprehensive understanding of how communication practices shape a child's lifelong relationship with healthcare.