Treating pediatric dermatology patients can be extremely rewarding, and learning how to talk to these patients and their caregivers about their skin condition and its treatments can help maximize these benefits, improve outcomes, and boost patient and provider satisfaction.
Elizabeth (Lisa) Swanson, MD, a Pediatric Dermatologist in Boise, ID, recently shared what to say—and not to say—to pediatric dermatology patients and their caregivers at the 2025 Fall Clinical Conference in Las Vegas, NV.
Here’s a cheat sheet:
Don’t say “shot”
- Instead, spell S-H-O-T
Don’t say “herpes”
- Instead, say “cold sore virus”
Don’t say “mutation”
- Instead, say “variant”
Don’t say “I’ve never seen that before”
- Instead, say “It’s amazing how we are unique snowflakes”
Words and statements that are always OK and encouraged) include:
- “You came to the right place.”
- “I love treating this particular condition because I know that I can make it better.”
- “We’ve got options. Let’s pick our next step together.”
- “If we don’t hit a home run with the first thing we try, we will try something else.”
- “I’m on your team.”
