Your child is complaining of feeling very sick. Their behavior is irrational, they’re sweaty, seem to be in pain, and want to go to the Dr. “Really? It’s that bad? Ok – let’s go”, you say. Fear of flu, appendicitis, kidney, bladder, or other infections run through your mind. In the car and off you go in search of answers.
You head in to your local health provider – perhaps a walk in or urgent care – and before you know it it’s your turn to be seen.
Then it happens. The Dr enters the room and asks you to leave. Really? “Don’t you want some history? Don’t I need to answer questions? Isn’t there an age that I’m responsible for what’s going on here?”
The lines of what is and what isn’t allowed at different ages is so confusing. 18 is the legal age….but of what?
I’ve done a little research on this subject lately. Maybe it’s because I’m angry, and maybe it’s because I feel guilty, but once and for all I want to get it straight.
The age of majority is when your are deemed to be an adult. Legal age is when you are able to drink or make legal decisions. Age of consent is where it gets ridiculous.
A 12 or 13 year old can have sex with a 12 or 13 year old, as long as there’s not more than 2 years between. A 14 or 15 can consent to someone under 5 years difference. A 16 or 17 year old, you can have sex with 18 or older as long as they’re not dependant on them.
Ok, seriously? At 12 or 13 years old you can decide to have sex? And 18 is alcohol? I just don’t get it.
So your “child” is now speaking privately with a Dr. No biggie – how bad could it be? I was just strapping them in to a high chair a short time ago. What could they say?
Then the Dr leaves the room, consults with a different Dr, and go in to another room together Hands are waving, shoulders shrug, and a book comes out that they’re both looking at. They look at me through the glass, then eachother and the attending Dr comes back out.
“Hmmmmm. This is odd. Shouldn’t they be talking to me?”
Apparently not. They don’t have to tell me anything. I understand the health system wants to encourage kids to get help with put fear, but at what point do patents get to know what’s really going on. One Dr says “I’d want to know.” The other says “legally we can’t “.
Do you know what’s going on with your kids? How would you know if they’re sexually active, doing drugs, drinking, or involved in any other dangerous activity?
I have yet to find something that says a Dr can’t tell me what’s going on if my child requests that. Maybe it’s out there, but it seems so unreasonable. As parents we’re on the hook to provide and yet we walk forward blind folded.
I know we don’t want to know every single thing, and I also know I would never tell every single thing. Would things have been different if I’d have been told?
Legal vs Moral. Which one is right?
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