In emergencies, which person may consent to treatment for a sibling?

• A. Only a parent may consent for a sibling.
• B. A guardian may consent for a sibling.
• C. An unrelated adult may consent for a sibling.
• D. Any adult for their brother or sister (in an emergency and parents are not present).

Answer: (D)

In emergencies, the main idea is that prompt care can be provided when the patient cannot give consent and there’s no parent or guardian available to decide. In that moment, a responsible adult who is present and connected to the patient—such as a sibling—may consent to necessary treatment to prevent harm or save life. This recognizes the practical need to act quickly to protect the patient’s health when waiting for the parents to arrive isn’t safe. After care is provided, efforts should continue to contact the parents or a legally authorized guardian and obtain formal authorization as soon as possible. An unrelated person doesn’t have a rightful authority to consent, and normally a parent or guardian handles consent, so favoring a sibling in an emergency aligns with safeguarding the patient when immediate action is required.