Which co-parent makes medical decisions for a child?

The co-parent who makes medical decisions for a child is typically the one who has legal custody rights. In many cases, parents will have shared legal custody rights, meaning they have to work together to make these important decisions. But if one parent has sole legal custody rights, then they do have the individual power to make decisions on their own.

For instance, perhaps you have a young child who needs to go to the pediatrician. The doctor recommends certain shots or vaccines as the child gets older. If you have legal custody rights, you can decide which ones to authorize or if there are any you would rather avoid.

Is this different from physical custody?

Yes, it is important to note that physical and legal custody rights are not always divided the same way.

For instance, both parents may be granted physical custody rights. The child will live with each of them at specific times, and they set up a schedule to make custody exchanges.

But, simultaneously, the court could decide to give just one parent the legal custody rights they need to make decisions about healthcare, education, religion, finances and much more. The other parent would not have the ability to make these decisions on their own, even if the child was living with them. They may be able to authorize medical care in an emergency, but routine medical decisions would have to be made by the parent who was granted that authority by the court.

Naturally, these crucial decisions can sometimes lead to conflict between co-parents, who need to be well aware of their legal rights and the options they have.