Poor concordance between reason for consultation and parental expectations in behavioral referrals

Behavioural conditions such as Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are present in up to 5% of children across the world. This is a common reason for referral from primary care to paediatricians. When a primary care provider refers a patient to a specialist, they often create a set of expectations in the patient. These expectations may have a strong effect on the patient relationship with the specialist. It has been shown that parental expectations can influence prescribing practices in paediatrics. Low socioeconomic status, a risk factor for behavioural conditions is also a risk factor for poor physician-patient communication. If patient expectations set up in primary care are not reflected in the referral question sent to the paediatrician, this may hinder paediatrician-patient communication and impact care