El horizonte de la atención médica en pediatría: ¿qué hacer en el caso de niños que se encuentran en situación de abandono, conflicto, daño o peligro, aunado a una enfermedad grave? / The horizon of medical attention in pediatrics: what to do in the case of children who are in abandonment, conflict, harm or danger situations in combination with a severe disease?

Resumen: Introducción: Las leyes refieren que los menores no tienen la capacidad para dar su consentimiento informado para su propia atención médica; sin embargo, hay condiciones especiales en las que se les permite determinar lo referente a su salud. Cuanto mayores sean las limitaciones de juicio y experiencia en los menores, menos peso se otorga a los valores y objetivos que expresan; cuanto más adversas sean las consecuencias, se deberá exigir un nivel más alto de autoridad para decidir en nombre del menor, dejando al Estado la capacidad de garantizar el bienestar del menor. Caso clínico: Niña de 12 años con diagnóstico de leucemia linfoblástica aguda LI, con antecedentes familiares y sociales precarios; evolución entorpecida por el desapego al tratamiento y sus condiciones insalubres y pobreza extrema. Ambos padres fallecieron al poco tiempo de iniciar su tratamiento, quedando ella al cuidado de su medio hermana mayor de edad. Se exponen la labor y el dilema ético del oncólogo tratante y del personal del Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez en la creación de redes de apoyo con el objetivo de priorizar el bienestar de la menor, sin dar lugar al quebrantamiento y la desintegración familiar, consiguiendo exitosamente su recuperación. Conclusiones: El caso fue sometido al Comité de Bioética Hospitalaria. Se formaron redes de apoyo interinstitucionales para intervenir en la dinámica familiar, resolviendo los requerimientos de la menor, y se consiguió con éxito superar la enfermedad.

Abstract: Background: Laws refer that minors do not have the capability to give informed consent for their own medical attention. However, there are special conditions in which they are allowed to decide about their health. The greater the judgement and experience limitations in minors, the less weight is given to the values and objectives they express. Also, the more adverse consequences might be, the higher the level of authority that is demanded to decide on behalf of the minor, thus granting the State the capability to guarantee the well-being of the minor. Case report: 12-year-old female patient with a diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia, with precarious social and family background; evolution of the disease obstructed by the disregard of the treatment due to her unsanitary and extreme poverty conditions. Both of her parents died soon after the start of the treatment and she was kept under the care of her half-sister of legal age. The work and the ethical dilemma of the pediatrician and the staff of Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez are exposed within the building of support networks with the objective of prioritizing the minor's well-being, without allowing family break-up or disintegration, thus succeeding in her recovery. Conclusions: The case was submitted to the Hospital Bioethics Committee. Inter-institutional support networks were built in order to improve dynamics of the family, thus solving the needs of the minor. Despite the misfortune of the situation, the disease was successfully overcome.

[The horizon of medical attention in pediatrics: what to do in the case of children who are in abandonment, conflict, harm or danger situations in combination with a severe disease?] / El horizonte de la atención médica en pediatría: ¿qué hacer en el caso de niños que se encuentran en situación de abandono, conflicto, daño o peligro, aunado a una enfermedad grave?

Background: Laws refer that minors do not have the capability to give informed consent for their own medical attention. However, there are special conditions in which they are allowed to decide about their health. The greater the judgement and experience limitations in minors, the less weight is given to the values and objectives they express. Also, the more adverse consequences might be, the higher the level of authority that is demanded to decide on behalf of the minor, thus granting the State the capability to guarantee the well-being of the minor. Case report: 12-year-old female patient with a diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia, with precarious social and family background; evolution of the disease obstructed by the disregard of the treatment due to her unsanitary and extreme poverty conditions. Both of her parents died soon after the start of the treatment and she was kept under the care of her half-sister of legal age. The work and the ethical dilemma of the pediatrician and the staff of Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez are exposed within the building of support -networks with the objective of prioritizing the minor's well-being, without allowing family break-up or disintegration, thus succeeding in her recovery. Conclusions: The case was submitted to the Hospital Bioethics Committee. Inter-institutional support networks were built in order to improve dynamics of the family, thus solving the needs of the minor. Despite the misfortune of the situation, the disease was successfully overcome.

Introducción: Las leyes refieren que los menores no tienen la capacidad para dar su consentimiento informado para su propia atención médica; sin embargo, hay condiciones especiales en las que se les permite determinar lo referente a su salud. Cuanto mayores sean las limitaciones de juicio y experiencia en los menores, menos peso se otorga a los valores y objetivos que expresan; cuanto más adversas sean las consecuencias, se deberá exigir un nivel más alto de autoridad para decidir en nombre del menor, dejando al Estado la capacidad de garantizar el bienestar del menor. Caso clínico: Niña de 12 años con diagnóstico de leucemia linfoblástica aguda LI, con antecedentes familiares y sociales precarios; evolución entorpecida por el desapego al tratamiento y sus condiciones insalubres y pobreza extrema. Ambos padres fallecieron al poco tiempo de iniciar su tratamiento, quedando ella al cuidado de su medio hermana mayor de edad. Se exponen la labor y el dilema ético del oncólogo tratante y del personal del Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez en la creación de redes de apoyo con el objetivo de priorizar el bienestar de la menor, sin dar lugar al quebrantamiento y la desintegración familiar, consiguiendo exitosamente su recuperación. Conclusiones: El caso fue sometido al Comité de Bioética Hospitalaria. Se formaron redes de apoyo interinstitucionales para intervenir en la dinámica familiar, resolviendo los requerimientos de la menor, y se consiguió con éxito superar la enfermedad.

Revisión de modelos para el análisis de dilemas éticos / Review of models for the analysis of ethical dilemmas

Resumen:En la práctica médica pediátrica es frecuente encontrar a pacientes en circunstancias que representan un dilema ético para los profesionales de la salud. Un dilema corresponde a una situación en la que los preceptos morales o las obligaciones de similar obligatoriedad ética se encuentran en conflicto, de forma que cualquier solución posible al dilema es moralmente intolerable.Una revisión de la literatura permitió identificar diferentes modelos que abordan esta clase de dilemas. Se localizaron artículos utilizando las bases de datos Ebsco Host, ProQuest, Ovid e InMex, así como metabuscadores como metacrawler. Algunos de los modelos analizados fueron los siguientes: el Modelo de Anne Davis, el Método de Nijmegen, el Método de Diego Gracia, el Método Integral, el Modelo del Centro de Ética Médica de Bochum, el Modelo de Brody y Payton, el Modelo de Curtin y Flaherty, el Modelo de Thompson y Thompson, la Fórmula SAD, el Modelo de Javier Morata, el Modelo de Elaine Congress, el Modelo IFSW, el Modelo de Loewenberg y Dolgoff, el Modelo de la Ley Social, el Método DOER, el Modelo de Brommer, el Modelo de Corey y Callanan, el Modelo de Pope y Vasquez, el Modelo de Bush, Connell y Denney, el Modelo de Ferrell, Gresham y Fraedrich y el Modelo de Hunt y Vitell.Los criterios compartidos entre los diferentes modelos fueron los siguientes: a) la especificación del dilema ético; b) la descripción de los hechos a considerar; c) la definición de valores, principios y la postura ética que será tomada en consideración; y d) la toma de decisiones con la identificación de alternativas de solución. De acuerdo con la literatura revisada, se explican algunos modelos con el fin de identificar y ejemplificar elementos críticos que pudieran ser utilizados de manera práctica por los Comités de Ética Clínica u Hospitalaria en las instituciones de salud pediátrica en México.

Abstract:In pediatric medical practice it is common to encounter situations that represent a dilemma for health professionals. A dilemma occurs when ethical problems found in professional practice cause serious internal conflicts because they imply actions that contradict their colleagues, employees, or their own personal values and are classified as personal value conflicts, conflicts with other professionals, conflicts with clients and with organizations.A literature review allowed identifying different models to debate these types of dilemmas. The present work is a review of the search of scientific articles using databases such as Ebsco Host, ProQuest, Ovid, and InMex as well as metasearch tools such as metacrawler. The models found are as follows: Model of Anne Davis, Nijmegen method, Method of Diego Gracia, Integral method, Bochum Center Ethics model, Model of Brody and Payton, Model of Curtin and Flaherty, Model of Thompson and Thompson, SAD method, Model of Javier Morata, Model of Elaine Congress, IFSW model, Model of Loewenberg and Dolgoff, Ley Social Model, DOER method, Model of Brommer, Model of Corey and Callanan, Model of Pope and Vasquez, Model of Bush, Connell and Denney, Model of Ferrell, Gresham and Fraedrich, and Model of Hunt and Vitell.The key criteria shared in the different models are a) specifying the ethical dilemma, b) description of the facts, c) value definition, moral code and facts, decision making and d) identifying alternative solutions. In order to review the literature, some models are explained with the purpose of identifying and representing critical elements that clinical ethics committees could use in a practical manner in pediatric health institutions in Mexico.

[Review of models for the analysis of ethical dilemmas]. / Revisión de modelos para el análisis de dilemas éticos.

In pediatric medical practice it is common to encounter situations that represent a dilemma for health professionals. A dilemma occurs when ethical problems found in professional practice cause serious internal conflicts because they imply actions that contradict their colleagues, employees, or their own personal values and are classified as personal value conflicts, conflicts with other professionals, conflicts with clients and with organizations. A literature review allowed identifying different models to debate these types of dilemmas. The present work is a review of the search of scientific articles using databases such as Ebsco Host, ProQuest, Ovid, and InMex as well as metasearch tools such as metacrawler. The models found are as follows: Model of Anne Davis, Nijmegen method, Method of Diego Gracia, Integral method, Bochum Center Ethics model, Model of Brody and Payton, Model of Curtin and Flaherty, Model of Thompson and Thompson, SAD method, Model of Javier Morata, Model of Elaine Congress, IFSW model, Model of Loewenberg and Dolgoff, Ley Social Model, DOER method, Model of Brommer, Model of Corey and Callanan, Model of Pope and Vasquez, Model of Bush, Connell and Denney, Model of Ferrell, Gresham and Fraedrich, and Model of Hunt and Vitell. The key criteria shared in the different models are a) specifying the ethical dilemma, b) description of the facts, c) value definition, moral code and facts, decision making and d) identifying alternative solutions. In order to review the literature, some models are explained with the purpose of identifying and representing critical elements that clinical ethics committees could use in a practical manner in pediatric health institutions in Mexico.