ESPE Abstracts

Even today, the majority of families are caught completely unprepared by the diagnosis of diabetes in their child. The "bad news" hits them like a bolt from the blue and calls into question the future plans of parents and children. The first talk with the paediatric diabetologist, in which the diagnosis is communicated and the therapy is roughly outlined, sets the course for the acceptance of diabetes in the family and the long-term trusting cooperation with the diabetes team. Besides the verbal component of breaking bad news, other skills are also required. These include responding to the emotional reactions of the family, managing the stress of parents' expectations, engaging the child and parents, and the dilemma of how to convey hope when talking about a chronic disease. Not only words, but also many non-verbal aspects influence whether a family feels accepted and understood. This workshop will discuss key aspects of communicating with affected children and their parents: 1) the cognitive receptivity of parents and children during diagnosis delivery; 2) preparing and setting up the conversation; 3) presenting the diagnosis age-appropriately; 4) assessing families' experiences and perceptions; 5) actively listening to children and parents; 6) delivering tailored information in small chunks; 7) checking the family's correct understanding; 8) addressing families' emotions with empathic responses, e.g. feelings of guilt and anxiety; 9) information about the support and diabetes education provided by the team; 10) giving an outlook on the first weeks with diabetes with a clear structure; 11) presenting appropriate sources of information; 12) outlook on further cooperation with the diabetes team and hopeful conclusion.