ABSTRACT
To what extent should pediatric patients be involved in the informed consent process? Are there differences in confidentiality requirements for children and adolescents compared to adults? Should recommendations against third party observers of neuropsychological evaluations be extended to the evaluation of children? How can neuropsychologists interpret test results in the face of limited age-based norms for many standardized tests and limited data on neuropsychological profiles for many pediatric disorders? What is considered sufficient education and training for the practice of pediatric neuropsychology? In one of the few writings on the ethics of pediatric neuropsychology, Fennell (2002) began to examine these issues, emphasizing that the answers to these questions may vary somewhat depending on the arena of practice (e.g., hospital, school, forensic). In the current chapter, the authors continue to explore the ethical issues that may be unique to, or uniquely understood and applied in, the context of pediatric evaluation and treatment. Understanding the systems within which the child lives and interacts, within which the neuropsychologist works, and from which legislative decisions emerge are important to meeting the needs of consumers of pediatric neuropsychology.
