Abstract
Decision-making in pediatric dermatology follows a model common to pediatric care. The parent or legal guardian provides informed permission for interventions with the child’s assent, where possible, acting in the best interests of the child. In most cases, this model works smoothly, but if the parent’s wishes and/or parenting style or the physician’s recommendations conflict with the wishes of the child, the minor patient may demand care that conflicts with the better judgment of the physician or parent, or the parent may not always act in what the physician believes to be the child’s best interests. Practical strategies for dealing with the ethical challenges of shared decision-making are presented.
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AR Wang and L Bercovitch both declare no conflicts of interest.
Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent
This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.
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Wang, A.R., Bercovitch, L. The Third Chair in the Examination Room: Practical Ethics of Decision-Making for the Pediatric Dermatologist. Curr Derm Rep 3, 182–186 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13671-014-0090-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13671-014-0090-1