Health Care of Children | Report

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Running head: HEALTH CARE OF CHILDREN
HEALTH CARE OF CHILDREN
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HEALTH CARE OF CHILDREN
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Introduction
Children of a country are one of the most vital of the modern nation as well as for future
development of it.1 Parent, as well as other family members of a child, have been ordinarily
committed to providing each advantage, which is possible for their children and ensuring that the
child is healthy and occupies every opportunity that he needs to fulfil his potential.2 However,
the communities have been varied to its commitment for such collective health of their children.
They also may have diverse in such resources, which they may available to fulfil the basic needs
of a child. The physician, as well as the parent of a child, are responsible for the better health of
their child and provide the best treatment, which is suitable for them. In several cases in the
territory of Australia, both of the parents of a sick child as well as the treating doctor have
disagreed for doing a treatment of proposed medical treatment.3 In such a situation, the court of
law may interfere to settle these disputes regarding the treatment of a sick child to uphold the
best health care for the child. The parent of the child may disagree with taking the medication of
medical treatment. The court of law has suggested that the interest of a child and his health are
paramount rather than refusing the treatment.4 This paper aims to discuss whether there should
be a limit on such parental authority for such refusal of treatment of their child and the necessity
of various law reform for such matter.
1 Swain, Shurlee, and Margot Hillel. Child, nation, race and empire: Child rescue discourse,
England, Canada and Australia, 1850–1915. (Manchester University Press, 2017).
2 Cliff, Dylan P., et al. "Objectively measured sedentary behaviour and health and development
in children and adolescents: systematic review and meta‐analysis." (2016) Obesity
Reviews 17.4 :330-344.
3 Pearce, Anna, et al. "Barriers to childhood immunisation: Findings from the Longitudinal Study
of Australian Children." (2015) Vaccine 33.29 :3377-3383.
4 Wake, Melissa, et al. "Introducing growing up in Australia's child health CheckPoint: a physical
and biomarkers module for the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children." (2014) Family
Matters 95: 15-23.

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Discussion
In the world, every doctor has his own personal values and beliefs in his profession.
There are specific professional values, which are imposed by the government or several Medical
Board in the individual country should be maintained by the medical professional.5 The doctors
of a hospital have been obtained a duty of taking care of their patients is the first concern and
practising the medicine effectively and safely. One of the responsibilities of the physicians to be
trustworthy and ethical during the treatment of their patient. The Medical Board of Australia has
given a code of conduct for the medical practitioners in its territory. The Good Medical Practice
Code has been described as the expectation from a doctor who is registered himself as a doctor in
the medical board of Australia.6 It has set out several rules and principles, which have
characterised as a good doctor in the medicinal practice. It has also made an explicit criterion of
professional and ethical conduct of the doctors in their professional nobles and the community of
their territory. The British Medical Association, as well as the Australian Medical Association,
have aligned several values for their doctors to the patient. The Code has complemented the
Code of Ethics of the Australian Medical Association7 and has depended with the International
Code of Medical Ethics8 and Geneva Declaration. This Code9 has also concentrated in the good
communication of the medical practitioners, which has underpinned each aspect of the good
medical practice in the community of the country.
5 Walker, Rachael C., et al. "Patient and caregiver values, beliefs and experiences when
considering home dialysis as a treatment option: a semi-structured interview study."
(2016) Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation 31.1: 133-141.
6 The Good Medical Practice Code 2014
7 The Australian Medical Association code of Ethics 2016
8 The International Code of Medical Ethics 1949
9 The Good Medical Practice Code 2014

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The Code of Ethics of the Australian Medical Association10 has described the Conflict of
interest of the medical practitioners as well as the patient. The conflict of interest has arisen in
the medical practice when a medical practitioner has entrusted of an interest of his patient in the
professional, financial or personal interests as well as the relationship with any third party other
than the patient may fall an effect to the treatment of his patient. The doctor should recognise the
potential conflict of interest, which may arise regarding the ongoing or introducing the proficient
relationship between him and his patient. In a child health care, the child should be treated as
their first treatment rather than the wish of their parent. They should maintain their code of ethics
for the treatment of the child. However, as the child is innocent and can not express their illness
and views, the parent of the child may assist the doctors for the treatment of their child. They can
understand their child in a better way than medical practitioners who are treating the child.
According to the Code of Ethics11, the doctors should be transparent and honest in their
professional regarding the monetary engagements with their patients. In a treatment of the child,
the doctors should maintain the ethics of their profession and should not do any activity, which
may deteriorate the health of the child. Children of a country are ordinarily viewed as hale and
hearty when the adult standards assess them. There should be an excessive treaty to diminish
childhood disease and death. There have a dramatic change and improvements have been
occurring all over the world in the last several decades by reducing morbidity and mortality from
various accidental causes and infectious diseases. The government has also increased the
assessment of health care of the children and reduced the contaminants of the environment by
making Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 200012. The children who are mainly from
10 The Australian Medical Association code of Ethics 2016
11 The Australian Medical Association code of Ethics 2016
12 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2000.