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Informed consent and the treatment of children

J Ross-Trevor

    Nursing Standard (Royal College of Nursing (Great Britain) : 1987)
    |September 4, 1996
    PubMed

    Insights

    Informed consent for pediatric patients under 16 requires careful consideration of their decision-making capacity. This review examines healthcare professional attitudes and offers recommendations for involving children in treatment choices.

    Area of Science:

    • Pediatric Healthcare Ethics
    • Medical Law and Ethics

    Background:

    • Informed consent is a cornerstone of ethical medical practice.
    • Special considerations are necessary for pediatric patients due to their developing autonomy.
    • Navigating consent for minors under 16 presents unique challenges.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To explore the complexities of informed consent for children under 16.
    • To review existing literature on pediatric informed consent.
    • To discuss varying professional attitudes towards consent in pediatric care.

    Main Methods:

    • Literature review of studies on informed consent in pediatrics.
    • Analysis of diverse perspectives among healthcare professionals.
    • Synthesis of findings to inform recommendations.

    Main Results:

    • Healthcare professionals exhibit varied approaches to obtaining informed consent from minors.
    • There is a recognized need to enhance children's involvement in their treatment decisions.
    • Current practices may not consistently uphold the evolving autonomy of pediatric patients.

    Conclusions:

    • Recommendations are proposed to better involve children in decision-making processes.
    • Ethical guidelines for pediatric informed consent need continuous refinement.
    • Balancing parental rights and child assent is crucial for ethical pediatric care.

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