2.1 Providing Family-Centered Oral Health Care
Ensuring That Care Is Family-Centered—Continued
Tips for Communicating with Children with Special Health Care
Needs:
- Determine the level of each child’s cognitive capabilities and communication skills. Talk with parents about how the child’s abilities might affect oral health care. Be receptive to their thoughts and ideas on how to make the experience a success.
- Allow enough time to introduce concepts at a level that the child can understand.
- Communicate respectfully with children, and comfort those who resist oral health care.
- Repeat instructions when necessary, and involve children in hands-on demonstrations.
Schedule enough time to accommodate the family’s needs and to answer questions, which will increase satisfaction and improve follow-through on recommendations. Review office policies and family responsibilities with parents to clarify concerns and to determine whether accommodations are needed. If referrals to specialists are necessary, personally make the referral, and explain to the family what to expect at the consultation.
Share information about resources that provide support services. Learn about resources in the community that can provide support services to assist in making oral health care appointments a success. Examples of resources include case management services, translators, transportation through school districts, family resource centers, regional specialty centers, local health departments, associations for children with specific health disorders, and other support groups.
Be culturally responsive. Families have diverse traditions, and many have a primary language other than English. If your office does not have bilingual staff who can interpret, AT&T provides interpretation services by phone to assist in appointment scheduling or with questions, or the family may have a case manager who can help find a translator.
Continued on the next page.
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