title: Clinical magic and the art of examining children.
abstract: In examining children, clinical skills are a blend of specific examination techniques and a perceptive approach to a child during a clinical encounter. This paper applies the concepts of awareness, contact, and closure to the physician-patient relationship and describes specific techniques and behaviors that can aid in the achievement of the major objectives of the clinical encounter: (1) performance of an examination and obtaining the necessary diagnostic information, (2) development of a positive physician-patient relationship, and (3) observation of the parent-child subsystem during the office visit.
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002654:Child Care; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002983:Clinical Competence; D006801:Humans; D010808:Physical Examination; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations