Physicians may want to consider hearing out parents' preferences even if they are "less than optimal" for their children's treatments, according to Medical Xpress. An Australia-based University of Melbourne ethicist encourages physicians to respect parents' opinions in a new book titled, "When doctors and parents disagree."
Here are four things to know:
1. Physicians should, however, step in if parents want something that will likely harm the child, according to the book.
2. The book offers insights for clinicians into 26 case studies, including situations such as parents asking for genetic testing of their other children if one of their children has cystic fibrosis or parents refusing rehabilitation physiotherapy for their child
3. Physicians should try to balance a child's well-being and the parents' autonomy, according to the book.
4. The book also emphasized the importance of physicians seeking advice and ethics support from other clinicians in especially tricky situations.
