Should Parents Religious Beliefs Allow Them to Refuse Medical Care for Their Children - Essay Example

Should parent’s religious beliefs allow them to refuse medical care for their children or avoid standard medical practices? There are various things that are guaranteed by the constitution in many countries. One of the freedoms that are guaranteed by most of the constitution around the world is freedom of worship or religion. There are various religions in the world that have unique values and beliefs. The members are forced to follow those values and beliefs, and failure to adhere to them may be seen as going against that religion. There has been a conflict between various religions and the health care sector. For example, some religious beliefs compel parents to refuse their children get some medical care and even avoid standard medical practices. Some of the beliefs act as a guide to ways the child may be treated. In other religions, they opt for natural way of treatment while other perceives diseases as normal. Although religious beliefs of a parent should be respected, such beliefs should not be used to deny children of medical care and standard medical practices as it leads to suffering and psychological trauma and even death of children. The paper will try to show how religious freedom have affected children well-being. Therefore, freedom of religion should be respected, but a decision based on the freedom should not be allowed to cause harm to children (Feemster 1). In some cases, religious freedom has been used to deny children some rights such as medical care. The effect on the children has been suffering from various controllable conditions and even threat to their life. Therefore, religious freedom needs control to protect children. There are those that argue that people should be allowed to follow their beliefs in caring for their children. The argument is that that those that are committed to following Christ should rely on God’s power alone for healing (Howell 1). Therefore, they call for exemption from standard health care practices including children. The author notes that she sustained a tin cut while playing in the backyard and managed to be healed through prayers (Howell 1). The healing of cut may show that religious beliefs may sometimes be used as an alternative to medical care. However, medical care is necessary as there is more harm to children that lack medical care. Hence, parents should be encouraged to seek necessary medical care for their children. Failure to offer necessary medical care for children leads to suffering as well as psychological trauma. Any form of medical neglect on children is said to have a serious consequence on children. As noted in the article, parental refusal to offer medical care to children such as pain management leads to an elevated level of suffering and as a result, psychological trauma. The issue has been a serious thing as noted in the recent statistics collected in United States. In 2009, there was approximately 2% of medical neglect on children by their parents (Macauley and Fritzler 2). The statistics clearly shows that religious beliefs have increased in society and are leading to reduced medical care on children. The failure to offer medical attention to children by parents should be indicated as a medical neglect. It is well known that children have no control of what they need in their life as they have no ability to make a choice. However, it is the sole responsibility of parents to ensure that children are alleviated from all forms of pains and suffering. As in the case discussed in the article, it is clear from the physician view is that failure to use medication to treat the condition for the child led to intense suffering for the child. The parent belief could not alleviate the pain that the child was going through. In fact, the pain was so intense that even led to paralysis. Therefore, suffering of the child as seen above should be avoided at all cost. Parents should be forced to offer medical attention to children to avoid challenges such as paralysis. Secondly, failure to offer children necessary medical care may lead to serious life threatening condition and even death. Most of the medical attentions offered to children are meant to protect children from a serious condition that may lead to death. For example, vaccination has for a long time been used to protect children from various health conditions that are life threatening such as measles. Sometimes the court has been used to force vaccination of children. In 2013, a court forced compulsory vaccination after two children of a Philadelphia couple died from untreated pneumonia as the couple practiced faith healing (Feemster 1). The death was cited as preventable through offering the necessary vaccination. There has been more death associated with the practice of religious beliefs. The death is a clear indicator that sometimes religious beliefs are not capable to help children overcome life-threatening conditions. Likewise, in the last one decade, there have been 17 cases of herpes simplex virus illness in baby boys that had undergone a circumcision practice (Feemster 1). The kind of circumcision is common in Orthodox Jewish communities. The infection clearly shows that religious beliefs and practices are not free of infection and medical attention is needed for children. I believe that no parent would like to witness the death of a child. Such deaths have been increased by religious beliefs. Therefore, if religious beliefs are unable to offer protection to the children, it is better that parent opt for proven life-saving alternatives such as medical care. In conclusion, it is clear that lack of medical attention to children leads to serious consequences such as paralysis and even death. These effects happen to children that have no choice concerning their life. Parents make such choice with severe consequences. On the other hand, there are those that view that God’s power is enough for good health. However, it is clear that medical care have more advantages as compared to the lack of care. I have learned that medical care should be strictly followed in children until children are of right age to make their own choice. Therefore, laws should be put in place that forced parents to offer medical attention to their children. As a result, there will be reduced suffering of children and even death. Annotation Feemster, Kristen. “Religious Freedom Balanced with Responsibility.” Nytimes.com. Web. 09 April 2014. < http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2015/03/10/parents-beliefs-vs-their-childrens-health/religious-freedom-balanced-with-responsibility>. The article demonstrates how religious freedom has been denied for the welfare of children. It shows cases in which children have suffered harm and even death due to lack of necessary medical care. The article is credible as it offers cases in which children have died due to lack of attention. The author credibility is seen being a pediatric infectious diseases physician. Howell, Sharon Slaton. “Let us follow our Beliefs in Caring for Children.” Nytimes.com. Web. 09 April 2014. . The article focuses on showing that God’s power alone is responsible for healing. It call for respect of religious beliefs and is opposed to medical attention. The credibility of the article is seen as the author speaks based on an example in the family. The example shows that praying leads to healing. On the other hand, the author credibility as she speaks is seen as she is a Christian Science practitioner. Macauley, Robert and Fritzler, Liberty. “Parent Refusal of Pain Management: A potentially Unrecognized form of Medical Neglect.” Palliat Med Care 1.2 (2014): 1-5. Print The article covers a case study in which a mother refused to allow medical attention to her child. The child is subjected to severe harm characterized by paralysis and severe pain. The article is credible as it is scholarly. It is written by authors with knowledge concerning pediatrics care. It offers a classical example of challenges faced by children once they are denied medical attention. The authors have the right knowledge on the issue having come from the department of pediatric. Works Cited Feemster, Kristen. “Religious Freedom Balanced with Responsibility.” Nytimes.com. Web. 09 April 2014. < http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2015/03/10/parents-beliefs-vs-their-childrens-health/religious-freedom-balanced-with-responsibility>. Howell, Sharon Slaton. “Let us follow our Beliefs in Caring for Children.” Nytimes.com. Web. 09 April 2014. . Macauley, Robert and Fritzler, Liberty. “Parent Refusal of Pain Management: A potentially Unrecognized form of Medical Neglect.” Palliat Med Care 1.2 (2014): 1-5. Print Read More