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Key tips for communicating with and examining children

Major points

  • Keep using their name!
  • Make it a game (e.g. in an abdominal exam, pretend you are trying to find out what they had for breakfast and keep naming cereals)
  • Keep interacting and asking questions (e.g. β€˜So Billy, are you missing school today?’, β€˜What lesson would you be in?’, β€˜What’s your favourite subject?’, β€˜So is that what you want to do when you’re older, Billy?’)

Other tips

  • If child is crying, let them calm down and see you talking to parents/siblings
  • Involve child wherever possible
  • Even babies like to hear a reassuring voice
  • Befriend child before examining
  • Position yourself at their level
  • Distract with toys
  • You can pretend to listen with stethoscope on parent’s knee and then on child’s arm to reassure them; or examine a teddy
  • Use parents to distract them
  • Use simple words, e.g. hurt, sore, funny, brave
  • Undress in stages
  • Sometimes you just need to persevere
  • Reward and praise them 
  • If noisy, try using toys or bottles etc.
  • Keep checking they’re OK
  • Warm your hands before touching them

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