You are collecting a history from an 11-year-old girl. Her mother is sitting next to her in the examination room. When collecting history from older children or adolescents, they should be:
A) given the opportunity to be interviewed without the parent at some point during the interview.
B) mailed a questionnaire in advance to avoid the need for them to talk.
C) ignored while you address all questions to the parent.
D) allowed to direct the flow of the interview.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The older child should be given the opportunity to give information directly. This enhances the probability that the child will follow your advice. Mailing a questionnaire in advance to avoid the need for her to talk does not assist the child in learning to respond to answers regarding her health. The parent can help fill in gaps at the end. If she is ignored while you address all questions to the parent, the patient will feel as though she is just being discussed and is not part of the process for the health care. The health care provider should always direct the flow of the interview according to the patient's responses.

You Are Collecting a History from an 11-Year-Old Girl