Parents and legal guardians generally have the right — as long as they are not acting irresponsibly — to give consent for their minor child's medical treatment. In some cases, preteen and teen children are asked or required to give their "assent" to medical treatment. This is a lesser standard than informed consent; it indicates simply that they have been told about the treatment and agree to it.  "Informed consent" is a legal term referring to the right of individuals to make medical decisions only after full disclosure of relevant information.