We've talked about immunization and whether or not a parent should have the right to deny advanced medical treatment (like surgery) based on their own personal beliefs and whatnot. What about parents who never take their children to the doctor for annual checkup's or when they have the cold or flu (opting, instead, to let it run its course or relying on home remedies.) Do you think a parent should have the right to swear off doctors for their kids in general?

Well truthfully there's not much you can do for a simple cold. Even the doctor will tell you ibuprophen or tylenol for fever & Robutussin or something similar for cough. If it persists or gets worse they need to go. But not for every little thing. If they have flu symptoms they should definitely go to the doctor.

I never went for checkups, and as many times as I was sick as a kid, I never went to a doctor for any of that either. At the time I thought it was a little weird because you heard on TV about people and kids going to doctors for checkups, but we turned out alright. And as incompetent as the doctors we've been around have been, I wouldn't trust them to do their jobs right for that anyway.

Chris wrote:

We've talked about immunization and whether or not a parent should have the right to deny advanced medical treatment (like surgery) based on their own personal beliefs and whatnot. What about parents who never take their children to the doctor for annual checkup's or when they have the cold or flu (opting, instead, to let it run its course or relying on home remedies.) Do you think a parent should have the right to swear off doctors for their kids in general?

I think if you live in a civilized society that has laws concerning child welfare and CPS, then parents should NOT have the right to refuse medical treatment that any reasonable person would consider vital to the child's well being. I also don't think parents should have the right to raise their children in such a way that they may be a public health risk (which means immunizations). Now, if we are just talking about non-life threatening ailments that are noncommunicable then sure. Let them raise their kids in whatever way (using whatever remedies they see fit). If a parent wants to call in a witch doctor and use magic potions and chants to cure their kid instead of treating them with actual "medicine" by a doctor, then that's their perogative (misguided as it may be). As long as in doing so they are not threatening the child's safety or contributing to a public health concern. Praying out the disease doesn't work anymore than praying out the gay works! That's just a fact that religious nutjobs and non-scientific, new-age wackjobs are going to have to wake up to at some point, or face tragedy!

However, if a parent can buy all the medicine needed from the store and that works, why get a doctor?

Supernova wrote:

However, if a parent can buy all the medicine needed from the store and that works, why get a doctor?

It will work for really minor things. One of the downsides of the internet is that it's turned some people into self diagnosers. A lot can be misinterpreted or assumed. Of course they don't need to go every time they get a runny nose but if it progresses to fever & cough, there is a real possibility of pneumonia. And that's not webmd. It's firsthand experience. But it's really just common sense most of the time. Some things can be treated at home but when it's not getting better or even worse seems to be progressing, parents have to take the kids to the doctor. Relieving their suffering & protecting them from harm is basic parental responsibility.

Back in '97 or '98, our parents came down with a BAD flu, I don't know what was going around at that time, Asian flu I suppose...and they were both sick for a very long time, somehow my brother and I didn't get it, thank God, but when our parents got it the doctors pushed for immunizations, and reluctantly they got them, and like most medicines and all vaccines when it comes to our family, that made them even sicker, so that was the last time we bothered with a doctor for anytime anyone was sick.

They should use their judgement. You know when you're kid needs to go to.the doctor and when he doesn't. And if you're not sure, take him anyway.

Nystyle709 wrote:

They should use their judgement. You know when you're kid needs to go to.the doctor and when he doesn't. And if you're not sure, take him anyway.

Exactly, if it's serious, then yes, but minor things or minor symptoms...you know unless you LIVED at the doctor's office, you wouldn't always know when your kid comes down with something or what it is, but there are some symptoms that are so common it could be anything from a cold to pneumonia, but would you go to the doctor every time you had a cough or felt tired?

If it's a mere cold, then that's not necessary. All the doctors gonna do is tell you to go to CVS to buy some cold medicine. But something like the flu or an ear infection, then definitely take them in. Don't try and treat that at home. And yes, all kids (everybody in general) should get annual checkups.

Marc™ wrote:

If it's a mere cold, then that's not necessary. All the doctors gonna do is tell you to go to CVS to buy some cold medicine. But something like the flu or an ear infection, then definitely take them in. Don't try and treat that at home. And yes, all kids (everybody in general) should get annual checkups.

Every kid should get an annual physical. Far as being sick goes, if the kid is laying in bed with a 102 fever or dubbed over in pain or his color aint right then take him to the hospital. Granny's Chicken soup and Vicks aint helping.