The tripartite relationship: Physician – Child – Parents. Reflection after a literature review

Abstract

This paper aims at presenting selected elements that constitute the relationship between professionals (physicians) and an ill child as well as the child’s parents. The discussion is based on the following assumption: All actions undertaken when a child is ill should be performed with two subjects participating in them: the child and the child’s parents, because the exclusion of one of them disturbs the fulfillment of specific goals and tasks. In interactions with specialists, intelligible tripartite communication is undoubtedly of key importance since the course and final outcome of treatment depend on appropriate cooperation between all subjects involved (and in the case of a small child, this includes parents).