Informed Consent for Lumbar Puncture and Bone Marrow Aspiration in Children and Infants: From Documenting Signatures to Assessing Parental Understanding

Hesabi, Amir

doi:10.22034/hp.2026.606221.1108

Informed Consent for Lumbar Puncture and Bone Marrow Aspiration in Children and Infants: From Documenting Signatures to Assessing Parental Understanding

Document Type : Letter to the Editor

Author

Amir Hesabi

Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran.

10.22034/hp.2026.606221.1108

Abstract

Consent for invasive diagnostic procedures in children and infants is a communication and ethical decision-making process that should not be reduced to signing a form. For lumbar puncture and bone marrow aspiration, concerns about pain, complications, and serious disease underscore the importance of clear explanations and assessment of parental understanding. Valid consent requires confirmation of decision-making authority, provision of procedure-specific information, understanding, and voluntariness. Children should participate according to their developmental capacity and clinical condition. This letter proposes a three-stage framework comprising preparation, dialogue incorporating teach-back, and documentation of the decision. Identifying family concerns and respectfully addressing misconceptions are integral to this process. Multimedia education may supplement, but should not replace, direct communication. The proposed framework has not been validated; its evaluation should assess parental understanding, child participation, and voluntariness rather than rely solely on documentation.

Keywords

Bone marrow aspiration

Child

Infant Informed consent

Lumbar puncture