Open AccessMedical Neglect Allegations in the Context of Conflicted Divorce/Separation Child Custody: What Should the Health Care Provider Do?
Author(s) -
J E Wright,
Rachel K Heinze,
Mary Ellen Wright
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of child and adolescent trauma
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.583
H-Index - 19
eISSN - 1936-153X
pISSN - 1936-1521
DOI - 10.1007/s40653-020-00306-0
Subject(s) - neglect , context (archaeology) , psychology , public health , face (sociological concept) , health care , psychiatry , medicine , nursing , political science , law , sociology , paleontology , social science , biology
Pediatricians and child health providers face with situation in which families disagree about recommended treatments. Managing these disagreements is more challenging during periods of divorce or separation particularly when parents are in dispute over custody or medical decision-making. Parental disagreement exists along a continuum. General principles apply 1) the worse the conflict, the worse the outcome for children, 2) when conflict is combined with other factors such as separation, the outcome is often worse, and 3) the pediatrician/primary health care provider can mitigate this. This manuscript provides a review of the subject and suggestions for the practicing provider.