The invisible pedagogical dimension of pediatric visits: epistemics and deontics in se- quences of advice

Abstract

Rooted in the (micro)pedagogy of everyday life, this article aims to illustrate the invisible pedagogical function of the pediatrician’s interactional work, i.e., the set of communicative resources and practices through which the pediatrician carries out his professional practice moment by moment, in the actual unfolding of the visit. Adopting a Conversation Analytic informed approach, the article shows how in, and through, some of the most common discursive practices occurring in a pediatric visit – i.e. seeking, giving, and receiving advice – pediatricians and parents concurrently and actively participate in the construction, ratification, and spread of cultural models of “good” caring practices, “competent” parenting, and children’s well-being.