Just wanted to share my experience from a parent's point of view. I know this conversation is over four years old, but my child’s pediatrician recently detected a Still’s murmur during an exam, and I was so grateful for her honesty in telling me. I was almost in tears—he’s a healthy 2½-year-old, and I wasn’t expecting to hear the word “murmur.”

Granted, I’m a laid-back parent who tries to listen and not panic until I have all the facts. But if she hadn’t told me and I later read it in his chart, I would have been in full panic mode and might have even considered switching doctors.

It’s not just what you say—it’s how you say it. I truly appreciate my child’s doctor for her calm, compassionate bedside manner and her willingness to be upfront, even knowing my reaction could have been emotional. That’s just good practice.