Child Health Flashcards
Discuss the role of members of the multidisciplinary team in managing nutrition issues in children
- Paediatricians
- Dieticians
- Pharmacists
- Clinical psychologists
- OT
- GP
- GI nurses
Give examples of the impact of a young person’s health condition on other family members
- Parents being carers —> stress, extra work, upsetting.
- Parents might have to quit job to care for child —> financial impact.
- Neglect of other children in order to care for ill child.
- Changes in family roles and dynamics.
- Impacts on interpersonal relationships.
- Other children might have to help —> loss of childhood.
- Disruption of leisure activities.
- Limited freedom.
- Affecting sleep.
Outline the optimum transition from children’s to adult services
- Involve young people & carers: co-produce strategies, agree goals/outcomes, and feedback about what effect their involvement had.
- Ensure it’s developmentally appropriate, taking into account: maturity, cognitive ability, social and personal circumstances, communication needs.
- Treat as equal partner, not as parent.
- Start discussions about process of transition young when possible.
- Aim to allow as much independence as possible.
- Share important clinical details: highest quality of care, cross-over/joint appointments.
- Allocate a named transition worker.
- Develop a transition plan.
- Support throughout transition (strength based and positive).
- Address education and employment, community inclusion, health and well-being, and independent living.
- Use person-centred approaches.
- Check the young person is registered with GP.
Outline the role of the multi-agency support available for a young patient with a chronic illness
- Paediatrician.
- GP.
- Clinical psychologist.
- Social/support worker.
- OT.
- Physio.
- Community nurse.
- Carers.
Discuss the role of the multidisciplinary team in the assessment and care of patients with developmental delay
- Paediatrician
- OT
- Physio
- Nurses
- Carers
- Speech and language
Awareness of the legal and ethical issues regarding consent and confidentiality, in children, young people and adolescents
A person is recognised as an adult with full autonomy to make decisions about their health when they turn 18. 16 and 17 year olds can also make independent decisions about their health, but if they refuse treatment this can be overruled in certain situations by parents, people with parental responsibility or the court. Children under 16 can make decisions about treatment, but only if they are deemed to have Gillick competence. There is no lower limit to the age where children can make decisions about their health, however it is unusual for consent to be taken from someone under 13.
Gillick competence refers to a judgement about the whether the understanding and intelligence of the child is sufficient to consent to treatment. Gillick competence needs to be assessed on a decision by decision basis, checking whether the child understands the implications of the treatment. Consent needs to be given voluntarily. When prescribing contraception to children under 16 it is important to assess for coercion or pressure, for example coercion by an older partner. This might raise safeguarding concerns.
Frazer guidelines are specific guidelines for providing contraception to patients under 16 years without having parental input and consent. The guidelines were set down by the House of Lords in 1985. To follow the guidelines, they need to meet the following criteria:
- They are mature and intelligent enough to understand the treatment.
- They can’t be persuaded to discuss it with their parents or let the health professional discuss it.
- They are likely to have intercourse regardless of treatment.
- Their physical or mental health is likely to suffer without treatment.
- Treatment is in their best interest.
Children should be encouraged to inform their parents, but if they decline and meet the criteria for Gillick competence and the Frazer guidelines confidentiality can be kept.
Children under 13 cannot give consent for sexual activity. All intercourse in children under 13 years should be escalated as a safeguarding concern to a senior or designated child protection doctor.
Describe the role served by optometrists in the NHS
- Optometrists are at the frontline of eye care. By carrying out detailed examinations, they are helping to improve eye health across the country. By making a detailed examination of the eye, optometrists may be able to identify whether a patient has conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure.
- Examine the eyes to detect defects in vision, signs of injury, ocular diseases or abnormality and problems with general health, such as high blood pressure or diabetes.
