Overmedicalisation of childhood: what paediatricians and child health professionals can do

Key Points

• The research aims to understand how childhood problems are medicalised and what can be done by health professionals.
• Review of sociological literature on medicalisation
• Analysis of definitions and frameworks related to medicalised childhood
• Recommendations for paediatricians and child health professionals
• Medicalisation often leads to unnecessary treatments for children.
• Professionals have the potential to redefine child health issues without defaulting to medical interventions.
• It highlights the role of language and frameworks in shaping perceptions of childhood health.