Why Children Know More about Their Health than Parents Know

Many pediatric physicians will tell you that kids know more about what is going on with their bodies than a parent can ever know. More often than not, parents will disregard their children’s complaints about their health. At the time, complaining about a stomach ache or a sore throat can seem like a non-threatening problem.

However, physicians all agree that children are aware of their health issues, and they become distressed just like we do. All they have is a problem with articulation. Here are a few ways you can help your child describe the problems he or she is having.

Ask a Pediatric Physician

More often than not, the problem with communicating may not be with the child at all, but rather the parent. This is because children think differently from adults and may not know all the words for what they are describing. This is where the pediatrician comes in.

Why Children Know More about Their Health than Parents Know

Your child’s pediatric physician should know your child very well, having taken care of them for the better parts of their lives. That being said, you can always ask the pediatrician for advice of how to speak to your child on their level in order to communicate how they are feeling. Communicating in a way that is familiar to them will make your child more open to talking to you in the future.

If all else fails, make an appointment with the pediatrician to discuss things further.

A Random Remark Might Actually Be Something Serious

Pediatricians are trained in identifying all sorts of health problems that could be an issue further down the line. Symptoms may be subtle or unnoticeable by an adult, but the child could be fully aware of a problem. They may just not be able to communicate it correctly.

When your child is experiencing something out of the ordinary with their body, they may make a random comment that might seem off or merit further investigation. For example, if your child is talking about how something itches, you should ask them other questions relating to these symptoms. You should ask how long the problem has been going on and where it is.

After identifying the issue and all the pertinent information, take your child to the pediatric physician to look further into the problem. Before talking about the problem yourself, have the patience to let your child talk it out first. This is difficult for most parents, but they may be more forthright with their pediatrician than the information they gave you. So after your child is done talking, fill in the blanks with whatever else you know.

Pay Attention and Be Considerate

We often forget that our children are people just like us, with thoughts and feelings that are just expressed in a different manner than what we are used to. Above all else, you should make sure your child trusts you enough to communicate whatever problem they may have, meaning you should not scold them if they complain about a health problem. If all else fails and you are not sure what to do, make sure you go to your child’s pediatric physician.