Recently on my paediatrics placement you realise although you are treating the child your are educating the parent. As a student this poses a new skill as we are so use to just speaking to and from with our direct patient. In these settings you now have two patients that you are treating at the same time. Although you may be performing a skill with a patient you must express to the parent why you are doing this and what they can enciourage at home to compliment your techniques. Often the parent needs assurance and is looking for answers as their childs problem has been ongoing.
In one situation I had a parent nearing tears as she explained that she was lost for answers and just wanted her childs pain to cease.
From a physio POV I expressed that with optimal physio management our aim is to assist reductions in pain but I made it clear that I dont have all the answers and due to the chronic pain the child had experienced we need to set the goals at small steps in reductions in pain and return to function. It is tough to see a parent in such a helpless position and it shows that as a physio you must be compassionate.
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I agree, one of the difficult aspects to treating children is to be able to communicate effectively with both the child and the parent. If you can't explain the treatment to the parent then they will be much less willing to assist you with information which may be essential to the effectiveness of your intervention.
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