Reflections on informed consent by children and adolescents for the provision of clinical healthcare services

Abstract

The Convention on the Rights of the Child has established a change in the concept of childhood.

Children become subjects of rights and protection instead of being objects of society. The health contexts, as a sphere for social processes needs to keep pace with this paradigm. It is necessary for children and adolescents to participate in the making of decisions affecting their health in the clinical context. The study aims to discuss the specific characteristics of informed consent in children and adolescents within the context of the provision of healthcare services from the paradigm proposed by the Convention of the Rights of the Child of 1989. Informed consent as an expression of will, needs to meet three requirements to be valid: competence to make autonomous decisions, information and freedom. The main challenge of the health team lies in defining the moment when a child and adolescent may grant a valid consent. This study will reflect on the characteristics of informed consent within the context of the provision of health care services. The health team must guarantee the participation of children and adolescents in the making of decisions, understanding autonomy is gradually acquired.