One area in which children’s rights are rarely considered in the USA is that of autonomy over their bodies. This right is routinely ignored in the arena of health care decision making. Children are routinely excluded from expressing their opinions involving medical decisions that affect them. This article discusses the complex reasons why children’s voices are typically not heard in the USA, the consequences of their disempowerment, and the ethical obligations of health care providers to advocate for the rights of (...) children, even in the absence of a legal mandate to do so. (shrink)

One area in which children’s rights are rarely considered in the USA is that of autonomy over their bodies. This right is routinely ignored in the arena of health care decision making. Children are routinely excluded from expressing their opinions involving medical decisions that affect them. This article discusses the complex reasons why children’s voices are typically not heard in the USA, the consequences of their disempowerment, and the ethical obligations of health care providers to advocate for the rights of (...) children, even in the absence of a legal mandate to do so. (shrink)