title: Treating teens: considerations when adolescents want to use complementary and alternative medicine.
abstract: In this article we examine decision-making about complementary and alternative medicine use when the patient is an adolescent. A case scenario describes patient-parent conflict when a 14-year-old boy who was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis that has continued to progress even with medication refuses recommended surgery despite his physician's and parents' support for that option; he prefers homeopathy instead. We address (1) who has decision-making authority about treatment for young people, (2) how to determine if a young person can consent to or refuse treatment, (3) special considerations when counseling and treating adolescents (whether they can decide about treatment for themselves), and (4) parent-child conflicts about treatment. In addition, we suggest ways that health care providers can foster a trusting relationship with patients and parents.
authors: Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Joan
authors: J
authors: Gilmour
authors: Christine
authors: C
authors: Harrison
authors: Leyla
authors: L
authors: Asadi
authors: Michael H
authors: MH
authors: Cohen
authors: Sunita
authors: S
authors: Vohra
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002170:Canada; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000628:therapy; D000529:Complementary Therapies; D003657:Decision Making / Q000941:ethics; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D006801:Humans; D057828:Informed Consent By Minors / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D008297:Male; D016743:Mental Competency; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010358:Patient Participation; D057240:Patient Preference; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D016312:Treatment Refusal; D014481:United States