Challenging Parental Decisions to Overtreat Children

Health Matrix, Vol. 5, p. 311, 1995

13 Pages Posted: 11 Mar 2010

Date Written: 1995

Abstract

Concerns about undertreatment have dominated the discussions about parents’ medical decisions on behalf of their children. For example, a parent’s refusal to consent to lifesaving treatment for a severely handicapped newborn has been characterized as child abuse or neglect. A very different question, raised more recently, is whether parental decisions demanding overtreatment for children should also be classified as child abuse and, therefore, constitute a basis to displace parental authority over those decisions. This article explores some of the issues raised by cases of overtreatment and the implications of superseding parental control.

Keywords: Parents medical decisions, undertreatment; overtreatment

Suggested Citation

Moore, Dale, Challenging Parental Decisions to Overtreat Children (1995). Health Matrix, Vol. 5, p. 311, 1995, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1568190

Dale Moore (Contact Author)

Albany Law School ( email )

80 New Scotland Avenue
Albany, NY 12208
United States

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