Clinical magic and the art of examining children

In examining children, clinical skills are a blend of specific examination techniques and a perceptive approach to a child during a clinical encounter. This paper applies the concepts of awareness, contact, and closure to the physician-patient relationship and describes specific techniques and behaviors that can aid in the achievement of the major objectives of the clinical encounter: (1) performance of an examination and obtaining the necessary diagnostic information, (2) development of a positive physician-patient relationship, and (3) observation of the parent-child subsystem during the office visit.