Children and minors are defined as persons who have not attained the legal age for consent to treatment or procedures involved in the research. In the State of Mississippi the age of consent is 18. When children or minors are research subjects, researchers must obtain both the permission of the parents or guardian to the participatin of their child or ward in research (i.e., parental informed consent) and the assent of the child (i.e., the child's affirmative agreement to participate). Mere failure to object is not assent.  Parent means a child's biological or adoptive parents , and guardian means an individual who is authorized under applicable State or local law to consent of behalf of a child to general medical care.

The IRB has the authority to waive the requirement of assent. Special regulations applying to children may be found in 45 CFR 46, Subpart D.