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Date: | Tue, 4 Jul 2006 20:56:32 -0400 |
Content-Type: | text/plain |
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> There is obviously more to this than is being reported. If social workers=
> =20
> have become involved (as is reported) then there are obviously
> multiple=20=
>
> problems with this mother (and maybe other family members).
This is not necessarily true. I have worked for the equivalent of the US
child protective services here in Canada, and I have seen cases with some
similarity to this one. I remember one case from several years ago where a
breastfed baby was diagnosed with cancer and the doctors recommended
immediate treatment. The mother and father asked for some time to get a
second opinion. The doctor then went to child protective services to have
the child made a ward of the province in order to begin the treatment
immediately. The parents - who were, by the way, excellent parents and this
was even stipulated to by everyone involved - lost custody of this child
simply because they wanted a second opinion. I do know all the details of
this case so I can confirm that there were no other - and certainly not
"multiple" - problems.
It is my experience that some doctors (not all) feel very strongly that
their medical advice and recommendations should be followed, and that when
parents don't follow that advice, they are putting their children at risk
and that it is therefore quite reasonable to call in social workers. They
may feel this way even if the parents are otherwise wonderful parents. It is
also my experience that social workers, and often judges as well, tend to be
very impressed by doctors and their medical expertise. If a doctor says this
baby must have a certain treatment or surgery or else he will die, the
social workers usually accept that without any further investigation and
conclude that the parents who want to investigate further or consider other
options are simply putting the baby at risk.
I don't know all the details of this particular case, obviously. But we
certainly can't conclude that "there are obviously multiple problems" simply
because social workers and child protective services have become involved.
Teresa Pitman
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