Aside from what others have said, I don't think patients should be told the truth of their condition just because "it's wrong to lie" so much as it is that they have a right to know about anything that affects them. If a doctor withholds information from the patient, they could be preventing that patient the opportunity to research and educate themselves and their loved ones on their condition, and the opportunity to make whatever preparations as needed. Furthermore, deliberately misleading someone can lead to some very awkward moments (not to mention anger and distrust) later on if/when the person learns the truth, especially if it's through other means.
This, of course, mainly applies to people who can have a basic cognitive grasp on the situation. If it's a very young child, as Prissi said, and the child isn't yet at a point where they can understand the complexities of their condition, perhaps they can be given a modified but still true account of their condition. Kids are surprisingly savvier than we grown-ups tend to think; while we may not want to scare them or hurt their feelings, I think we do at least need to give them some credit. =/
Anyway, I'm sure none of this made sense, sorry. =/
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Date: June 4th, 2010 05:45 pm (UTC)From:This, of course, mainly applies to people who can have a basic cognitive grasp on the situation. If it's a very young child, as Prissi said, and the child isn't yet at a point where they can understand the complexities of their condition, perhaps they can be given a modified but still true account of their condition. Kids are surprisingly savvier than we grown-ups tend to think; while we may not want to scare them or hurt their feelings, I think we do at least need to give them some credit. =/
Anyway, I'm sure none of this made sense, sorry. =/