Chapter 3. Assessment in Pediatric Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry
Publication: Clinical Manual of Pediatric Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry
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Appendix: Questions to Consider Asking Children and Adolescents Facing a Physical Illness
The following questions are useful for consultants to consider in their assessment to gain understanding into views and perceptions of children and adolescents regarding their physical illnesses.
1. Description of Illness
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Tell me about your illness. When were you diagnosed?
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What is the name of your illness?
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What did the doctors tell you when you first became ill?
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How did you feel when you first found out you were ill?
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Do you know what is going to happen with your illness when you get older?
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What do you have to do to stay healthy in terms of your illness?
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Have you had to go to the hospital? How often?
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Have you had any surgeries?
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What has it been like when you have had to go into the hospital?
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What are the hardest things about being in the hospital?
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Do you have a hard time with blood tests or procedures?
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How many medications do you have to take every day?
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Is it hard to swallow the pills? Do any of them taste bad?
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How often do you forget your medications each week? Do you ever skip doses?
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Do you have to follow any special diet or restrict how much you drink each day?
2. Emotional Impact of Illness on Child
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Since getting sick, with the stress of having this illness, have you noticed yourself getting sad or down?
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Since getting sick, have you found yourself worrying more about things? Feeling nervous or anxious?
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A lot of kids who get sick feel frustrated about it or feel that it isn’t fair. Have you noticed yourself getting frustrated or angry more easily?
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Has your illness changed the way you feel about yourself?
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Do you feel less confident?
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Do you worry about getting sick again? About your illness coming back?
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Have you found yourself worrying that you might die earlier than other kids your age?
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Have you told anyone about these worries?
3. Impact of Illness on Child’s Social Relationships
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How did people at school react when they heard you were ill?
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Did you feel that your school supported you when you were in the hospital?
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Did any of your friends have a hard time when you got sick?
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Have some of your friends been avoiding you?
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Do you get left out of activities because of your illness?
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Are there things you used to do with friends that are more difficult since you got sick?
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Do you get teased about your illness?
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Do you feel embarrassed about people at school learning that you’re ill?
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Do you try to cover up the fact that you have an illness? How come?
4. Impact of Illness on Education
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Do you have to miss a lot of school because of your illness? How often?
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Have these absences made it harder for you at school?
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Have you fallen behind at school?
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Have your grades been affected by your illness?
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Have you found it harder to concentrate or focus on your work since getting sick? Why do you think this is?
5. Impact of Illness on Family
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How has your illness affected your family?
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Are there things your family does not get to do anymore because of your being ill?
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Do you think your parents have had a hard time with your being ill?
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Do they worry about you?
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Do you think they have been more down or sad?
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Do you feel bad about all the things they have to do for your illness? Are there times when you feel guilty? How come?
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Do your parents argue about your illness?
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Do you feel that your parents support you enough?
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Do you think that your parents are overprotective or do not let you do things you think you should be able to do?
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Do you feel you have gotten closer to anyone in your family since getting sick?
6. Impact of Illness on Siblings (in Families With More Than One Child)
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Has your illness affected your siblings? How so?
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Do your siblings get less attention from your parents because of your illness?
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Do your siblings complain that you get more attention?
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Do your siblings worry about you?
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Do your siblings seem to be angrier since you have gotten sick? Sadder?
7. Relationship With the Medical Team
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Do you like your doctors?
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Do you trust your doctors?
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Do your doctors listen to your concerns?
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Have there been experiences with your doctors that have upset you? What happened?
8. Coping
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What has helped you get through this experience?
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Have you had support from your family? From your friends? From your religious community?
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Clinical Manual of Pediatric Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry
Pages: 35 - 71
History
Published in print: 16 September 2019
Published online: 5 December 2024
© American Psychiatric Association Publishing
Authors
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