Caring for Minors: Consent, Custody, and Chiropractic Risk
Originally published: 2025-10-23
Pediatric chiropractic care is rewarding, but it comes with unique legal and ethical responsibilities. One of the most overlooked areas of risk involves consent and custody. Chiropractors who treat minors without confirming proper authority can quickly find themselves caught in disputes that threaten their license and reputation.
Who Can Consent?
In most cases, a parent or legal guardian must provide consent for a minor to receive chiropractic care. However, custody arrangements complicate this. A divorced parent may not have the authority to make health decisions. A grandparent may not be legally recognized as a guardian, even if they are the one bringing the child to appointments.
“The biggest risk in pediatric care is not the adjustment itself, but who gave you permission to perform it.”
Custody Complications
Custody orders vary, and not all parents share equal authority. In joint custody arrangements, one parent may have the right to make healthcare decisions, while the other may not. If parents disagree about chiropractic care, providing treatment could be considered unauthorized.
Documentation Essentials
Record exactly who provided consent for care
Request and keep copies of custody agreements or guardianship papers when available
Note in your records that legal authority was verified before beginning treatment
Document any objections raised by another parent or family member
Handling Disputes
If you receive conflicting instructions from parents, do not guess. Pause care until proper legal authority is clarified. While this may frustrate families, it is safer than risking a board complaint or lawsuit.
Office Policies for Pediatric Care
Ask about custody arrangements at intake
Train staff to recognize when documentation is needed
Require written authorization when a non-parent brings in a child
Develop scripts for explaining these requirements to families clearly and professionally
The Risk Management Bottom Line
Caring for children means more than delivering adjustments. It requires diligence in verifying consent, respecting custody arrangements, and documenting every step. Protect yourself by treating consent as the foundation of pediatric practice.
ChiroFutures provides chiropractors with risk management tools and customizable policy templates to handle consent and custody challenges confidently.
