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The communication of neurological bad news to parents
1Department of Neurosciences, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Insights
Communicating difficult neurological news to parents requires careful consideration. A physician's attitude, clear communication, and knowledge are crucial for positive outcomes when delivering bad neurological news.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Medical Communication
- Pediatric Care
Background:
- Delivering unexpected or disappointing neurological news to parents presents significant challenges.
- Effective communication of such news is vital and can be a rewarding experience.
- Limited physician guidance exists for communicating pediatric neurological bad news.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide general guidelines for physicians on communicating neurological bad news to parents.
- To synthesize medical literature and clinical experience on this sensitive topic.
- To improve the process of delivering difficult neurological diagnoses to families.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive review of existing medical literature.
- In-depth discussions with numerous senior physicians across various medical systems.
- Incorporation of the authors' extensive personal clinical experience.
Main Results:
- The delivery of neurological bad news significantly impacts parental emotions, beliefs, and attitudes.
- Families often experience emotional shock, upset, and depression following news of a poor neurological diagnosis.
- Parents prioritize the physician's attitude, message clarity, and knowledge when receiving bad news.
Conclusions:
- Physician communication strategies directly influence parental coping and perception.
- Clear, empathetic, and knowledgeable delivery of neurological news is paramount.
- Guidelines are needed to support physicians in this critical aspect of pediatric care.
Abstract:
Communicating disappointing or unexpected neurological news to parents is often both difficult and emotionally unwelcome. At the same time, it is important that transfer of such information is done well and, indeed, if done well, can be a very rewarding experience. Limited references are available for physicians regarding the proper communication of neurological bad news to parents. This paper attempts to provide general guidelines regarding this process. The review is based on the available medical literature, detailed discussions with many senior physicians from different medical systems and the authors personal experience. The manner in which neurological bad news is conveyed to parents can significantly influence their emotions, their beliefs and their attitudes towards the child, the medical staff, and the future. This review of the literature, combined with clinical experience, attests to the fact that most families describe emotional shock, upset, and subsequent depression after the breaking of news of a bad neurological disorder. However, the majority find the attitude of the news giver, combined with the clarity of the message and the news giver's knowledge to answer questions as the most important aspects of giving bad news.