Objective To investigate whether the medical interview in the pediatric context generates a stressful response in parents in form of heightened cortisol activity, and whether pediatricians’ empathetic communication is able to attenuate this stress response. Methods 68 parents were recruited at pediatric out-patient and in-patient consultations. Salivary samples were collected between 60 and 30 min prior to the consultation, shortly before the consultation, 20 min as well as 45 min after the consultation. 19 pediatricians participated in the study and effectuated the medical visit as usual. We videotaped the consultations and coded pediatricians’ affective communication using the RIAS and the Four Habits Coding Scheme. Results Parents’ cortisol increased during the medical visit with a peak at 20 min after the medical encounter. Furthermore, multilevel analysis revealed a lesser increase in parents’ cortisol response associated with pediatricians’ levels in supportive communication behaviors. Conclusion As indicated by their humoral stress responses, the medical encounter was stressful for the parents. Pediatricians’ affective communication modulated this stress response in that more supportive communication was related to smaller cortisol increases. Practice implication Pediatricians’ affective communication behavior during the medical visit can alleviate parents’ distress and anxiety, representing a source of social and emotional support.