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Published on: August 1, 2017

Communication vulnerable patients in the pediatric ICU: Enhancing care through augmentative and alternative

John M Costello1, Lance Patak, Jennifer Pritchard

  • 1Department of Otolaryngology and Center for Communication Enhancement, Augmentative Communication Program, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, MA, USA.

Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine
|July 28, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Children in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) often struggle to communicate, leading to distress and medical errors. Implementing augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) strategies improves their ability to express needs, enhancing care and outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric critical care medicine
  • Communication sciences and disorders
  • Health informatics

Background:

  • Children in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) face significant communication barriers due to various impairments.
  • Inability to communicate causes distress and increases risks of medical errors and prolonged hospital stays.
  • Growing recognition of communication access needs in hospitals, driven by new standards and evidence of improved outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe a phased intervention approach for communication-vulnerable children in the PICU.
  • To provide examples of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) strategies for this population.
  • To emphasize the importance of ensuring communication access throughout a child's changing medical condition.

Main Methods:

  • The article outlines a three-phase intervention model tailored for pediatric intensive care patients.
  • It includes examples of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tools and strategies.
  • Focuses on adapting interventions as the child's medical status evolves.

Main Results:

  • Effective communication strategies, including AAC, enable children to express needs, wants, and feelings.
  • Improved patient-provider communication is linked to better treatment success and reduced medical errors.
  • Implementation of communication interventions enhances patient and family satisfaction.

Conclusions:

  • Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is crucial for addressing the needs of communication-vulnerable children in the PICU.
  • A structured, phased approach to communication intervention ensures continuity of care.
  • Prioritizing communication access improves patient safety, care quality, and overall outcomes in pediatric critical care.

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