Current Professional Opinions on the Use of Child Restraint

Abstract

The use of child restraint in the medical setting is an essential topic of discussion. This topic is important because, not only are there physical and psychological risks for the child who is being restrained, but there are also critical ethical implications for medical staff that come along with the use of restraint. While the use of restraint may be unavoidable at times, therapeutic holding should always be used if at all possible due to the risk factors presented by the use of restraint. It is important to note that restraint should only be used when the health and safety of the child and/or staff is in question. When searching the literature, I used the key terms “child restraint” and “therapeutic holding.” It is also imperative to understand the similarities and differences between these two terms. Overall, there is a time and place for child restraint in the medical setting, but there must be communication and training with medical staff to understand the purpose and the appropriateness of its use, as well as the alternatives.