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.
Clinical Pediatrics, New York Medical College, New York, USA.
Vidya Bhushan
VB
Gupta
Jennifer
J
Willert
Mark
M
Pian
Martin T
MT
Stein
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*