Religion is only one of several reasons that parents may use for keeping their child from undergoing a medical treatment. Safety concerns and personal preferences also come into play. But Caplan says that American society tends to be a “little more sympathetic” when parents refuse medical care for their children because of religious reasons.
Full Answer
Should parents apply religious beliefs to medical care?
Medical care is considered one of the most basic of all human needs, and yet parents may elect to apply religious or cul … When parents apply religious or cultural beliefs concerning spiritual healing, faith healing, or preference for prayer over traditional health care for children, concerns develop.
Can parents refuse treatment because of religious beliefs?
When parents hold a religious belief that leads them to refuse treatment for a child, at least 2 levels of understanding are needed in an effort to reach agreement. The parents need to understand the clinical situation as clearly as possible. This may sometimes be facilitated or augmented by obtaining a second (or third) opinion.
Do parents'religious beliefs affect children's health?
Nobody knows exactly how many children's health problems are exacerbated by a parent's religious beliefs because "the system can only kick in if people become aware that a sick child is not getting care," says Dr. Sara Sinal who co-authored a July 2008 article on religion-based medical neglect in Southern Medical Journal.
Should parents make decisions for their children based on religious grounds?
When parents make decisions for their children on religious or other grounds, however, states may intervene because they have a duty to protect the well-being of children who are not legally old enough to make their own decisions.
Can parents refuse medical treatment for their child based on religion?
“The U.S. values religious freedom to the point where states are willing to grant parents the right to refuse even life-saving medical treatments for their children if the parents can show that there's a religious tenet that would be violated by administering the treatment,” said Efthimios Parasidis, JD, a professor of ...
Can you refuse medical treatment based on religion?
Simply, if an adult under your care is mentally competent and refuses a treatment, including blood transfusions, surgery, or standard medical care, based on a held religious or cultural belief, the law generally grants this right of choice—even if the consequences of refusal are dire.
Should parents be allowed to refuse medical treatment for their child?
Parents have the responsibility and authority to make medical decisions on behalf of their children. This includes the right to refuse or discontinue treatments, even those that may be life-sustaining. However, parental decision-making should be guided by the best interests of the child.
How does religion affect medical treatment?
Patients often turn to their religious and spiritual beliefs when making medical decisions. Religion and spirituality can impact decisions regarding diet, medicines based on animal products, modesty, and the preferred gender of their health providers.
Can doctors override religion?
The law may vary by state and is still a very complex issue and topic of discussion. But in emergency situations, doctors may be forced to override a patient's wishes, including their religious beliefs, and provide them with the treatment that they need to survive.
What to do if patient refuses treatment due to religion?
If you have to refuse, explain your reasoning. Whatever your decision, candidly explain your reasoning to the patient. Be clear that your rationale is based upon professional judgment, not disrespect for the patient's religious ideas.
Can doctors override parents decisions?
That is, because of the existence of an emergency, treatment is legally permissible, and the court does not need to adjudicate the best interest of the child in approving the physician's decision to override a parental refusal for treatment.
What would you do if a parent refuses drugs for their child for religious or moral reasons?
If the patient is a child who lacks capacity to make a decision, and both parents16 refuse treatment on the grounds of their religious or moral beliefs, you must discuss their concerns and look for treatment options that will accommodate their beliefs.
What decisions should parents make for their child?
Here are ten difficult decisions parents make to ensure their child is on the right path.Choosing a school. ... Which parent is going to stay home. ... Choosing a college out of state. ... When it's time to get a driver's license. ... Vaccinations. ... Unplugging from the internet. ... Arguments. ... Food.More items...•
What are the main advantages of religious care to the patient?
Patients seek control through a partnership with God, ask God's forgiveness and try to forgive others, draw strength and comfort from their spiritual beliefs, and find support from a spiritual or religious community. These actions lead to less psychological distress (25).
Should a physician's religious beliefs play a role in the care they provide?
What role should my personal beliefs play in the physician-patient relationship? Whether you are religious, or nonreligious, your beliefs may affect the physician-patient relationship. Care must be taken that the nonreligious physician does not underestimate the importance of the patient's belief system.
Why do Jehovah's Witnesses refuse medical treatment?
They believe that taking blood into the body through the mouth or veins violates God's laws. Witnesses view the above verses as ruling out transfusion with whole blood, packed red blood cells (RBCs), and plasma, as well as white blood cell (WBCs) and platelet administration.
Where did religious objections to medical treatment originate?
Religious objections to medical treatment have historical roots that can be traced back to the late 1800s in England, when a sect called the Peculiar People ended up on trial for allowing generations of children to die as a result of their decision to reject doctors and medicine.
Can a parent be convicted of child abuse in Wisconsin?
Under current Wisconsin law, a parent cannot be convicted of child abuse or negligent homicide if they can prove they genuinely believed that calling God, instead of a doctor, was the best option available for their child.
When did the federal government soften its support for the parental right of refusal?
In 1983 , the federal government softened its support for the parental. right of refusal by taking a more neutral stance on religious exemptions. It no longer required states to recognize a religious exception in order to. be eligible for a federal grant, leaving states free to choose whether or.
When do minors reach the legal age of autonomy?
as children in others, the struggle for independence continues until. minors reach the legal age of autonomy at eighteen.'. Until that age, in. many areas of legal significance, the minor is subject to the decisions of.
Does Nebraska have a constitutional right to control the upbringing of their children?
Nebraska that parents have a constitutional right to control the. upbringing of their children.'. Since then, the Court has upheld this right, by limiting state interference in parental decisions regarding the. education, religion, association, and healthcare of their children Most.
Does parental refusal to seek medical treatment for a child threaten the public?
Legal precedent and authority currently exists for a state to intervene when an individual parent’s refusal to seek medical treatment for a child threatens the general public. Without question, for some diseases and some therapies parental refusals to allow their child to be medicated not only dramatically increases the likelihood of the child getting the disease,5 but also greatly increases the health risks to other children they may come into contact with.
Can a parent be charged with refusing to allow their child to be treated for a potentially life-threatening medical
There are only a few cases in which parents have been charged, or threatened to be charged, with criminal conduct for refusing to allow their child to be treated for a potentially life-threatening medical conditions, and there is no clear consensus on the way in which prosecutors, judges, and juries shall deal with these difficult situations at the intersection of medical ethics and family law. There are currently no clearly-defined limits for when a parent’s choices not to seek medical care for a child is deemed negligent.13
Why do states intervene in religious matters?
When parents make decisions for their children on religious or other grounds, however, states may intervene because they have a duty to protect the well-being of children who are not legally old enough to make their own decisions. Many cases that have come to the attention of the state turn on the question of whether a parent has ...
What kind of cancer treatment did Daniel have?
When Daniel was diagnosed, his family physician referred him to oncology specialists at a children’s hospital where it was determined his cancer should be treated with chemotherapy . Daniel’s mother consented to a first round of chemotherapy treatment for her son.
What is a neglected child in New York?
New York law states that a neglected child is “one who is less than eighteen years of age whose physical condition has been impaired or is in imminent danger of becoming impaired as a result of the failure of his parent to exercise a minimum degree of care in supplying the child with adequat e…medical…care” [10, 11].
How long does it take for Daniel Hauser to go into remission?
Most children, 80-95 percent, in Daniel’s situation go into remission within 5 years of the recommended chemotherapy. All of these physicians were of the opinion that if Daniel did not adhere to the treatment, he would not survive.
Did Joseph's parents violate New York law?
The court ruled that Joseph’s parents did not violate New York law since they were providing an acceptable course of medical treatment for their child, taking into consideration all of the surrounding circumstances [10].
Did Joseph's condition deteriorate after receiving metabolic therapy?
The fact that metabolic therapy is not wholly rejected by the medical community and that Joseph’s condition did not deteriorate after receiving the therapy gave the court grounds to uphold Joseph’s parents’ decision to use alternative treatment for their son. State of Wisconsin v. Dale and Leilani Neumann.
What do Christian scientists believe?
Christian Scientists. Christian Scientists believe that the primary method of healing should be through prayer, and many members have in the past been against modern medical treatments. There have been measles outbreaks among Christian Scientists, and studies have shown that mortality levels were high.
Why don't Amish people have heart transplants?
The Amish will not allow heart transplants and, in some cases, heart surgery because they view the heart as “the soul of the body.” Children who have not been baptized are exempt from that restriction.
Why don't Jehovah's Witnesses eat blood?
Just be firmly resolved not to eat the blood, because the blood is the life, and you must not eat the life with the flesh. - Deuteronomy 12:23. That’s just one of several Old and New Testament scriptures used by Jehovah’s Witnesses to explain why their religion refuses to accept blood transfusions. cnn/alberto mier.
Does Copeland believe in medical treatment?
Copeland is not the first evangelical to call for limited medical treatment. Some fundamentalists don’t believe in medications or psychological treatments for mental illness . Small groups of faith healers believe that prayer can heal and shun conventional medical support.
Do Amish people seek medical attention?
An Amish horse-drawn buggy. Though the religion does not forbid its members from seeking medical attention, many Amish are reluctant to do so unless absolutely necessary. They believe that God is the ultimate healer, and they are likely to turn to folk remedies, herbal teas and other more “natural” antidotes.
Do Seventh Day Adventists have medical issues?
In fact, Seventh-day Adventists have no issue with standard medical treatment but do emphasize a holistic approach to health, which they practice in their not-for-profit Adventist hospital system, with divisions around the world.
Did Prince have surgery?
Pop icon Prince was a Jehovah’s Witness, and it was widely speculated that he may have avoided surgery for a painful hip because of his religion. Hip replacement surgery commonly requires a blood transfusion during or immediately after. His autopsy, however, showed a scar on his left hip.
Why did the parents sign consent for amputation?
The mother signed consent because "only death would take my baby from me.". The family requested that a "hands-on" surgical evaluation be performed at another medical facility.
Is it ethical to persuade parents?
It is ethically permissible to try to persuade the parents using honest facts and clear opinions, though it could be perceived as harassment if attempts at persuasion are frequent or authoritarian. In addition, the health care professionals need to understand the religious belief as clearly as possible.
Can parents consent to surgery without feeling they have abandoned the teachings of their faith?
A more objective look at the entire faith tradition may sometimes allow parents the freedom to consent to procedures without feeling they have abandoned the teachings of their faith. In this case, the parents seem to have been influenced in their refusal of surgery by their minister.
What charges did the parents face in the death of their daughter?
Mom and Dad were charged with “failing to report the death, failing to obtain medical attention, abuse of a dead body and child abuse”. Both were acquitted. (2) In 1999 a 2 year old child was stung 432 times by wasps.
Why did the church's newborn grandson die?
A few months later, the parents’ newborn grandson died from massive hemorrhaging; again they did not seek medical treatment. (2) In the early 1990s, two families who were members in the church lost their daughters.
How many babies have died in the body of Christ?
The Body (a.k.a. " The Body of Christ "), Attleboro MA: Two infants have allegedly died and been secretly buried. Church of the First Born, Colorado and Oklahoma: (1) In 1982 a nine year old child died of a ruptured appendix. No help was sought by the parents because they had faith in God to heal. (2) No date provided.
Why is illness and disease not real?
Because illness and disease are not real, Christian Scientists believe that one must focus your energy on the true reality of God's nature in order to heal ones self.
How many children died from cystic fibrosis in the 1970s?
Frighteningly, just previous to this death, the couple’s sixteen year old d. (1) During the 1970s, 5 children under three died of untreated cystic fibrosis. (2) In 1983 and 1992, two toddlers were allowed to die by withholding medical care. Both couples were convicted.
Why did the church members get suspended?
(6) Two church members were given fourteen suspended months in state prison because they refused to get help for their son, who had found a lump in his abdomen. By the time the boy had managed to get medical help, it was too late.
What was the end time ministry charged with?
The parents were charged with aggravated child abuse. End Time Ministries, various states in the USA: (1) In 1990, the son of members refused to allow doctors and surgeons to treat their son for a known heart tumor.
