OBJECTIVE:
To describe the communication process in advice given by health professionals to the accompanying mother regarding the illness and inpatient treatment of her child.
METHODS:
Descriptive research with a qualitative approach, undertaken in Ceará in a public hospital which is a center of excellence in pediatrics, in August 2011. Data was collected via semi-structured interviews and, using the technique of thematic content analysis, three categories were selected: The mother's need to feel well-informed; Health professionals who provided information on the child's illness; and, Barriers found in the communication between the health professional and the accompanying mother.
RESULTS:
It was observed that all the mothers were anxious to receive information on their children, but that therewere some obstacles in the communication with the professionals, such as the technical language that these use.
CONCLUSION:
Based on the understanding of the importance of providing information to those accompanying the children, the health team needs to improve its performance, so as to produce a more efficient therapeutic communication.
Health communication; Humanization of assistance; Communication barriers; Child hospitalized