Paediatrics Publications
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-12-2018
Journal
Paediatrics and Child Health (Canada)
Volume
23
Issue
2
First Page
138
Last Page
146
URL with Digital Object Identifier
https://doi.org/10.1093/pch/pxx127
Abstract
Medical decision-making in the paediatric population is complicated by the wide variation in physical and psychological development that occurs as children progress from infancy to adolescence. Parents and legal guardians are the de facto decision-makers in early infancy, but thereafter, the roles of parents/ legal guardians and paediatric patients become ever more complex. Health care providers (HCPs), while not decision-makers per se, have a significant role in medical decision-making throughout childhood. This statement outlines the ethical principles of medical decision-making for HCPs involved in caring for paediatric patients. This revision focuses on individual decision-making in the context of the patient–provider relationship and provides increased guidance for dealing with disagreements.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
