Should medical decisions for children always be decided by the parents?

Question

Can children choose what is best for them?

Answer 1

I think it really depends on the child's age.If the child is 12+ I think it's great to have them in on whats going on with their bodies.Any younger than that I really think it's best for the parent or guardian to make the final decision.For any age I believe you should tell your child what's going on.

My daughter has a gestural problem (constipation since birth).Although she's too young to make any type of decision on her own at this time we still let her in on what's going on.She recently had surgery and I really think that if we hadn't prepared her for it by telling her what was going to happen I think she would have woken up a very pissed off baby.

Answer 2

It depends on several factors. There is no black and white answer to this question.

A) What is the treatment for? Cancer? Depression? An ear infection? Strep throat? A tooth ache?

B) What does the doctor think should be done? What would be the result if no treatment is selected? What would be the result if certain parts of the treatment were selected, but not others?

C) What does the child think is in their best interest? All of this is being performed on the child, the child is a child but is also a person. A child shouldn't be forced to take antidepressants if they opt for behavioral therapy, counseling, etc. Listen to the child. Why do they feel this way? What is influencing their ideas? If a child doesn't want chemo for his or her cancer, then someone needs to explain to the child the risks, side effects, and benefits in a way that the child can understand.

A child shouldn't have the two options - Have the adult tooth pulled or put up with it because you're not getting a crown. That's absurd and also putting the child's health at risk. It is a parents responsibility to provide adequate medical care and insurance for such care, if you're not responsible, then maybe you shouldn't have had kids. If the tooth is savable, a tooth should never be pulled.

You can't harass, belittle, bully or otherwise physically or emotionally brutalize a child into or out of a specific treatment. A child should almost always have some say in their medical care. This clearly isn't all encompassing but addressing some situations that came to mind from previous experience, news articles, medical study, etc.

Answer 3

Certainly, in my view most medical decisions for children are practically always determined by parents in consultation with their doctor. Major issues like cancer treatment, serious accidents etc don't lend themselves to easy input from children under the age of 14 or 15. Similarly, on minor matters it appears that children under school age, at least, are often not really in a position to make their own decisions.

Somewhere along the line, however, a child's age or maturity begins to have some effect. What if you have a son who has not been circumcised and some matters arise which make a decision on this subject necessary. At what age is the child consulted before a final decision is made? At what age is the boy not only consulted but have some say in the outcome? - is that age at 8, 10, 12, 15 or not until over 18?

There is no simple answer and depending on age, maturity, condition and the culture of your family there may be some significant variations on what we might choose - It's fun being a parent isn't it!

Answer 4

How old is the child you are talking about?
I believe a 14 year old can make some decisions but maturity is the biggest factor. A 14 year old that can sit and think and really take time to learn the choices and consequences of any decision should be a part of the decision-making process. I say a part of it because the parents should still have a hand in it until the child is 18.
But if the child is not mature enough, then no, not at all.

Answer 5

It depends on the the medical issue. If you are talking about plastic surgery that should always be the decission of the parents and or the doctor.

If a child has cancer and has been battling it for a long time, and would simply like to live a life without drugs, and they ask for no more drugs, I think they have that right.

If your child needs a plastic surgery that may not be availble as they get older, then the doctor should decide along with the parent and the child.

There are so many different cases though. Each one different.

That is my thought on the subject.

Answer 6

My 3-year-old thinks what is best for him is to never have shots, never take his asthma medicine, and to get to have Lucky Charms for every meal.

Yes, medical decisions should be decided by the parents, or a responsible adult.

Most children think in terms of what they like or they don't like, not what is best for them.

I will say this, though. I read a book recently called My Sister's Keeper, where a girl was born for the sole purpose of being a genetic match for her sister who had leukemia, and her parents repeatedly used her as a kind of inventory of spare parts for the sister. THAT, in my opinion, is wrong. I will admit, though, I don't know what I'd do in the same situation.

Answer 7

No because they dont always know what is best for them. After 16 or 17 maybe, but younger than that, no. Their brains are not mature enough to make those types of decisions.

Answer 8

no, children should not be able to choose, at least not until 15 or 16 I would say, but it would depend on the case. But neither should they be decided strictly by parents, I think doctors should be making the majority of the decision. But again, it depends on the case.

Answer 9

Depends, I don't think parents should be able to deny medical treatment based on religious beliefs or anything like that. But if it's something like getting the new cervical cancer vaccine for the kids, I think parents should have more say. It depends on the scenario.

Answer 10

I think it depends on 2 important details. 1) how old is the child and 2) How much does the child know about what is going on with them and their understanding of the options.