Incorporating parental values in complex paediatric and perinatal decisions.

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Ethics
• Medical Decision-Making
• Family-Centered Care

Background:

• Incorporating parental values in complex pediatric medical decisions is challenging.
• Children too young to express preferences require value-based decision-making.
• Ethical complexities and uncertainty surround these decisions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the meaning and process of incorporating parental values in pediatric and perinatal decisions.
• To provide a narrative overview of relevant literature.
• To offer recommendations for clinical practice.

Main Methods:

• Narrative review of pediatric, ethics, and medical decision-making literature.
• Focus on value-based and ethically complex decisions for young children.
• Explanation of key concepts, definitions, and challenges.

Main Results:

• Parental values, informed by global and external factors, guide child and family-centered choices.
• Decision-making contexts can lead to unstable or absent values requiring construction.
• Collaborative value clarification between parents and healthcare professionals is essential.

Conclusions:

• Shared decision-making and open communication are vital for value-congruent choices.
• Training in communication and shared decision-making can improve value incorporation.
• Personalized, value-based decisions support the well-being of children and families.