Children need privacy too: Respecting confidentiality in paediatric practice

Abstract

There is a paucity of published research and normative standards to guide health care providers in managing issues related to children's confidentiality. In this article, we examine challenges regarding the respect for confidentiality with children and youth in health care and offer guiding principles for clinical practice. We present an ethical framework and practice recommendations for: (a) respecting confidentiality for children who have decision-making capacity (as legally defined in different jurisdictions) and (b) recognizing some degree of respect for confidentiality among children who do not have decision-making capacity. This article will help incite additional analyses and research that can further refine the normative and practice standards proposed here.