This book assists health care providers to understand the specific
interplay of the roles and relationships currently forming the debates
in pediatric clinical ethics. It builds on the fact that, unlike adult
medical ethics, pediatric ethics begins within an acutely and powerfully
experienced dynamic of patient-family-state-physician relationship. The
book provides a unique perspective as it interacts with established
approaches as well as recent developments in pediatric ethics theory,
and then explores these developments further through cases. The book
first focuses on setting the stage by introducing a theoretical
framework and elaborating how pediatric ethics differ from non-pediatric
ethics. It approaches different theoretical frameworks in a critical
manner drawing on their strengths and weaknesses. It helps the reader in
developing an ability to engage in ethical reasoning and moral
deliberation in order to focus on the wellbeing of the child as the main
participant in the ethical deliberation, as well as to be able to
identify the child's moral claims. The second section of the book
focuses on the practical application of these theoretical frameworks and
discusses specific areas pertaining to decision-making. These are: the
critically ill child, new and enduring ethical controversies, and social
justice at large, the latter of which includes looking at the child's
place in society, access to healthcare, social determinants of health,
and vaccinations. With the dynamic changes and challenges pediatric care
faces across the globe, as well as the changing face of new
technologies, no professional working in the field of pediatrics can
afford not to take due note of this resource.
