Child participation during outpatient consultations: a mixed methods study.

Abstract

Despite increased turn taking, children's verbal participation remains low in pediatric consultations. If pediatricians and parents maintain a triadic conversation style throughout every stage of the medical encounter, child participation may increase. • Verbal child participation varies between 4 and 17%, measured in turns, words, speech time, or utterances. • Child participation is limited to social talk, laughter, and providing medical information. • Child speech turns equal parental speech turns (28%), but average relative word count remains low (11%). • Three percent of the children's turns are defined a "contributing in decision making, giving their opinion or give consent," which equals three turns per consultation.