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Narrative verdict, kid that starved herself to death
mr henderson - 16/2/09 at 09:37 PM

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/7893485.stm

Basically it means the coroner says what happened, but doesn't blame anyone.

The parents who presumably sat and watched this kid starve herself to death are blaming the hospital etc etc.

John

smart51 - 16/2/09 at 09:46 PM

quote:
Originally posted by mr henderson
The parents who presumably sat and watched this kid starve herself to death are blaming the hospital etc etc.


Your presumptions say more about your opinions than they do about the parents. Have you ever forced a child to eat against their will? The child seemed to have a psychological problem. There's nothing in the text to suggest the parents just "let" it happen.

mr henderson - 16/2/09 at 09:52 PM

quote:
Originally posted by smart51
quote:
Originally posted by mr henderson
The parents who presumably sat and watched this kid starve herself to death are blaming the hospital etc etc.


Your presumptions say more about your opinions than they do about the parents. Have you ever forced a child to eat against their will? The child seemed to have a psychological problem. There's nothing in the text to suggest the parents just "let" it happen.


I'm not suggesting that force feeding was the answer, and the fact that you are assuming that says something about you, too. Do you normally think of violent solutions first?

Anyway, what I would have done is wrapped the child up and taken her back to hospital, and asked them to have another look. I think that's what the parents should have done too.

It's entirely reasonable for health care professionals to assume that if they don't hear anything from somebody who has been ill, that that person has got better.

John

Marcus - 16/2/09 at 09:52 PM

This story came out a few weeks ago. The parents apparently tried everything and were literally begging the hospitals to do something. They didn't, thinking the kid would snap out of it. God knows how the parents felt, they must have been frantic!

smart51 - 16/2/09 at 10:34 PM

quote:
Originally posted by mr henderson
I'm not suggesting that force feeding was the answer, and the fact that you are assuming that says something about you, too. Do you normally think of violent solutions first?


Violent? I was thinking of my 6 month old son. If he doesn't want to eat, nothing will pesuade him. There are no tricks or techniques, no words, no actions, nothing.

I was not thinking violence, I'm practically pacifist. I was thinking that even a super human parent couldn't make her eat.

spaximus - 16/2/09 at 10:45 PM

If that was my child she would have got the help she needed. She had a feeding tube fitted in the hospital so they knew the problem was there. She returned home and lost 11kg in weight. If the parents were worried any hospital would have to treat her.
We do not know all the story and never will but it seems to me the parents were not forceful enough in getting the help the child needed. It is such a sad tale

dave1888 - 16/2/09 at 10:49 PM

At the end of the day its a sad waste of a young life, the blame culture can go on it wont bring her back. Its a shame that something like this has to happen to make something happen.

mr henderson - 17/2/09 at 07:47 AM

quote:
Originally posted by smart51
quote:
Originally posted by mr henderson
I'm not suggesting that force feeding was the answer, and the fact that you are assuming that says something about you, too. Do you normally think of violent solutions first?


Violent? I was thinking of my 6 month old son. If he doesn't want to eat, nothing will pesuade him. There are no tricks or techniques, no words, no actions, nothing.

I was not thinking violence, I'm practically pacifist. I was thinking that even a super human parent couldn't make her eat.


No indeed, but a super human parent could take the child back to hospital, or even a different hospital, and make them do something.


I'm wondering if, reading between the lines, there wasn't a tacit decision made by the parents to simply let her go. Refusal to eat to the point of starvation is about the most wrong thing there can be with a human being, as eating is the most basic instinct of all.

That's only something I'm wondering, BTW, not an accusation. Just me trying to square observed reality with some kind of rational behaviour

John

SeaBass - 17/2/09 at 11:42 AM

As with all these cases paraded by the media, you have the barest of facts relating to the case. Therefore without knowing the background and circumstances how can you apply your own beliefs and conclusions?

I work with teenagers on a daily basis and most people wouldn't believe how they can excel at school given the utter chaos in their home lives.

JC

mr henderson - 17/2/09 at 01:09 PM

quote:
Originally posted by SeaBass
As with all these cases paraded by the media, you have the barest of facts relating to the case. Therefore without knowing the background and circumstances how can you apply your own beliefs and conclusions?



What beliefs and conclusions do you think I have applied (you might want to have a quick look through what I have written before answering that).

quote:
Originally posted by SeaBass

I work with teenagers on a daily basis and most people wouldn't believe how they can excel at school given the utter chaos in their home lives.

JC


I look forward to hearing the relevance of that bit!

John

MikeRJ - 17/2/09 at 02:16 PM

quote:
Originally posted by smart51
I was not thinking violence, I'm practically pacifist. I was thinking that even a super human parent couldn't make her eat.


I agree, but one thing in the article is concerning:

"After she seemed to respond positively at home and after a physical and psychological assessment on 21 November she was officially discharged.

But her notes were then sent to the wrong GP and she was not seen by another medical professional before she died, the hearing was told. "

Surely in the 11 days between being discharged and her death, the parents would have noticed her health deteriorating? Surely they should have taken her to a GP at the very least?

[Edited on 17/2/09 by MikeRJ]