This study investigated parents' and health care providers' perspectives of their commumcative interactions when a seriously ill infant is treated in an intensive care nursery Both parents and health care providers stressed the importance of keeping parents informed of their child's condition Concerns regarding the provision of medical information to parents in an understandable manner, the lack of time health care providers have to spend interacting with parents, and the possibility that parents' emotional involvement interferes with their understanding of the child's condition were raised Implications for pediatric health care providers relative to their interactions with parents of young chronoically ill children are raised.