What special issues arise in the consent process when the patient is a minor?
Laws and policies vary depending on your state and health care entity. Generally, a child cannot be given medical or surgical treatment without parental consent. The most common exception is an emergency situation in which the parents cannot be contacted and a delay in treatment would cause harm. Minors In some states, statutory provisions address circumstances such as pregnancy, venereal disease, and substance abuse, where minors may wish to seek treatment without parental knowledge. Other statutes enable minors to consent to treatment in order to prevent minors from delaying or foregoing crucial treatment in fear of parental involvement. In general, the law respects minors’ wishes to keep certain sensitive information from their parents when the minors are mature enough to understand the nature of the procedure and when the procedure does not involve serious risks. Mature or Emancipated Minors The laws of most states permit a person below the age of majority to give valid consent if
