Direct questions to parents during communication may be problematic because they may be perceived as ...

• A. Threatening and provide limited information
• B. Completely unhelpful
• C. Always yielding accurate information
• D. Revealing all patient data

Answer: (A)

How you frame questions to parents shapes trust and how much information they share. Direct questions can feel threatening, as if you’re judging the parent or pinpointing blame, which can raise anxiety and defensiveness. When parents feel challenged, they may tighten up and give only brief, yes-or-no answers, leaving important details about the child’s symptoms, onset, patterns, and home care undisclosed. To get a fuller, more accurate picture, use a warm, collaborative tone and open-ended questions that invite parents to describe what they’ve observed in their own words. The idea is to create a space where parents feel respected and understood so they provide richer information. The other options don’t fit because direct questioning isn’t inherently unhelpful or always precise, and it doesn’t guarantee full disclosure or reveal all patient data; how you ask matters more than the mere act of asking.