Some do's and don'ts in paediatric practice

Don'ts for diagnosticians:Don't be too clever, don't diagnose rarities, don't be in a hurry, don't be faddy, don't mistake a label for diagnosis, don't diagnose two diseases simultaneously in the same patient, don't be too cock-sure, don't be biased, don't hesitate to revise your diagnosis from time to time in a chronic case.

Conclusions

A physician may have learnt a great deal and still may be exceedingly nnskillful if he awakens little confidence in his patients. The manner of dealing with patients/parents, of winning their confidence, the art of listening to them, the art of soothing and consoling them—all this cannot be learnt from books. What we do not say and what we do say, how we say it and when we say it, make all the difference between helping and not helping our patients (Apley 1963). Physicians must rejuvenate and cultivate the art of medicine rather than becoming technocrats. It is desirable and mandatory that during the patient-doctor dialogue, physicians must keep their doubts to themselves and give their patients the benefits of their decision.