When disclosing a serious diagnosis to a minor conflicts with family values.
An 11-year old Asian-Indian boy was recently discovered to have acute myelogenous leukemia. The pediatric hematologist-oncologist arranged a meeting to inform the parents about the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. The physician planned to include the child in this process. However, the child's father, a computer programmer, made a request that his son should not be informed about the diagnosis of leukemia. The father asked that his son should be told that he has a severe infection and will require intensive treatment. The oncologist then informed the father that, as a physician, she has the responsibility to truthfully disclose the diagnosis to a patient, and she insisted on informing the child about the leukemia in an open and truthful manner.
Gupta
Vidya Bhushan
VB
Clinical Pediatrics, New York Medical College, New York, USA.
Willert
Jennifer
J
Pian
Mark
M
Stein
Martin T
MT
D002648:Child; D003142:Communication; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D008192:Deception; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D005220:Fathers / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D033242:Minors / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011368:Professional-Family Relations / Q000941:ethics*; D012945:Social Values / Q000208:ethnology*; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000941:ethics / Q000523:psychology; D035502:Trust; D014342:Truth Disclosure / Q000941:ethics*