legal ramifications for parents of SCD kids?

September 11, 2008

Dear group,

I not a traditionalist regarding western medicine. Even though it has

literally saved my life on several occasions and I agree that

sometimes drugs are unavoidable, I wholeheartedly believe in the SCD

and have had some of the same experiences with a doctor's dismissive

attitude about the diet. I assume that I am not alone in this matter.

I am fortunate that I have Crohn's and not my children, but being a

parent does raise a question in my mind. Have any parents who are

trying to move their children from drugs to the SCD faced any concerns

about doctors finding you to be endangering your child by medical neglect?

I understand how ridiculous that sounds, but that question does not

arise from my own perspective, but rather what I imagine could be the

viewpoint of a doctor who has a pediatric patient whose parents are

applying the SCD. Aren't the doctors subject to legal code that

compels them to report medical neglect? Do they have the ability to

make that judgement call or is it explicitly laid out in law? In this

respect, do the results of the diet matter or simply that a parent did

not comply with doctors orders?

I imagine parents must be mindful how they relate to their doctors

when the stakes are so high, but must they be less than forthright

with their doctors in order to protect their children?

Have any of you parents faced this problem or is this issue more a

matter of my vivid imagination?

Cheers,

Stocker

CD 1983

SCD 1/2005

Remission 8/2007

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