Undertaking a successful consultation with a child requires a particular set of skills. Children presenting to general practice vary enormously in age, development, disability, personality and clinical presentation, making each consultation unique. For the majority of cases, a parent or carer will be present, requiring the consultation to broaden out and become a triadic exchange of views, versus the traditional patient and practitioner dyad. This paper discusses techniques to optimise effective communication in a triadic consultation, that allows the child to present their concerns/ perspectives about their illness.
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