Really? Crazy HSLDA story

[jennsmile]

http://www.hslda.org/hs/state/pa/201203270.asp

 

Please tell me this isn't true...

[kitten18]

Hmmmm, I think I'd like to hear the other side of the story.

[Whereneverever]

I've herd of similar stories before. :(

[ThatCyndiGirl]

I don't know if it is true or not, but the following things stood out to me:

 

1) We do not know the whole story.

 

2) HSLDA is notorious for spinning a story in a way that is most likely to cause panic.

 

3) It is not about homeschooling, which they admit. Once again they are overstepping their own stated goals.

 

4) It ends with a plea for donations. :glare:

 

IF,...if, if, IF it all happened exactly as they reported it there are other agencies/organizations that would handle this case. It seems almost laughable that they are taking on yet another cause.

[emubird]

I just saw the big DONATE button at the bottom and decided I'd have to see this story from an independent source before I believed it.

 

Is this even a case HSLDA is involved in? If it's not, why do they need money? And if it is, why are they giving the details of the case on the internet?

 

Either way, it's fishy.

[Danestress]

Everything I can find on this case is the same blog post copied over and over. The social worker and hospital are not going to talk or blog about it. We have one side of the story and. Plea for money. Not buying it.

[A.Balaban]

There has to be some basis in fact... right? :confused: The story is absolutely horrifying.

[Gretchen in NJ]

I don't know. I have heard of things like this happenning.

 

It may not be a homeschooling issue which is why the parents most likely didn't call HSLDA right away before the situation got out of hand. They are a homeschooling family. I have no problem with HSLDA asking for donations to cover this case since it is not a homeschooling case and funds collected from homeschooling membership should not be used on a non-homeschooling case. I would have an issue with them if they didn't.

[AvasMom]

1) I think there is a lot of missing information in this story. 2) HSLDA again involving themselves in a non-homeschooling case...

[FriedClams]

In this day and age, I am completely and totally unsurprised by the article.

[laundrycrisis]

It sounds more like persecution for planning a home birth, not homeschooling. It's a violation of their rights either way.

[Lady Florida.]

Everything I can find on this case is the same blog post copied over and over. The social worker and hospital are not going to talk or blog about it. We have one side of the story and. Plea for money. Not buying it.

 

Someone posted it on facebook. I tried to find out more, but like you, all I could find was the same exact story everywhere. I don't consider HSLDA a reliable source of information.

[Catherine]

The inflammatory language and lack of any corroborating detail (about the statements and actions of the "accused") make it unbelievable. It also does not make sense, when read as a narrative. Something has been left out. Hospitals don't call the police on patients unless something is very seriously wrong. I've worked in a hospital for 22 years now, and I've never once seen that happen.

[laundrycrisis]

When I used to spend time on another forum, it was not unusual to hear of homebirthing families being harassed by hospital staff and social workers. All it takes is one nurse or doctor to decide to call a social worker, and one social worker on a power trip to make this kind of thing happen. This was stopped as soon as a judge was involved. It is unfortunate that there are social worker who have a very inflated sense of their duties and strong biases who will not hesitate to make trouble for a family even when nothing illegal has been done.

[Princess Peach]

You know the saying, there are 3 sides to every story - your side, my side, and the truth? I think it applies here, except we're only hearing 1 side and HSLDA is notorious for inflammatory language.

 

As to why they are getting involved...they are big into parental rights at the moment. This is evidenced by the unwelcome forwards that I receive from a well-meaning fellow homeschool mom. :glare:

[shanvan]

After my last experience giving birth in the hospital, I have no trouble believing this happened. Several nurses there did not agree with my breast feeding ideas, even though I had previously successfully breastfed my Ds up to 12months. Because I was what they perceived as 'argumentative' and I wanted to go home the next day, they decided I needed to be watched for postpartum depression and did not fill out the psychological part of my patient evaluation form. They sent a lactation consultant to 'help' me, giving me one last chance to comply with them. The LC talked to me and could not understand why she was called in. Thankfully, the next day a new nurse came on duty and thought what was being said about me was a lot of hogwash. She checked all the boxes and told me to go home and enjoy my baby. I have no doubt that if I had remained long enough for the first 2 nurses to come back on duty I would have ended up having a psych evaluation all b/c I would not do things their way.

 

ETA: I only found out about the psych part of my form being filled out b/c the new nurse on duty told me as she was checking off boxes. I knew the nurses were discussing my 'case' and I thought they were being ridiculous, but I didn't know they were seriously 'watching' me. When I found out I was horrified. Dd's birth was very easy, very fast, no pain meds, completely natural, no tearing or stitches for me. I was so happy (I mean euphoric), except for the nurses and their constant interference.

Edited March 28, 2012 by shanvan

[laundrycrisis]

The court case is real.

 

http://dockets.justia.com/docket/pennsylvania/pamdce/1:2012cv00442/88588/

[CupOCoffee]

I think the reason why HSDLA gets involved in stuff like this is (from their About page):

 

16. Does HSLDA take a position on the United Nations?

We do not have an official position regarding the United Nations. However, it is accurate to say that we’ve become more and more concerned about the sovereignty of the United States vis-à-vis the United Nations as expressed by its policies on religious liberty, human rights, children’s rights, and the family. The UN Treaty on the Rights of the Child is an example of the UN’s view of the family. We oppose the UN Treaty on the Rights of the Child because it would strip parents of much of their authority to educate, train, and nurture their children according to the dictates of their conscience.

 

Bolding mine. ParentalRights.org is the organization that fights this Treaty, President of that Org? Mike Farris, founder of HSDLA.

 

That is where I see the lines connecting -- HSDLA has branched out to basically "protect the right of parents"...

 

Now, as to hospitals and vaccines: when my youngest was born, I was bullied EVERY DAY to give her the HEP B shot -- to varying degrees! I had a c-section, so I was there for several days. They tried all sorts of tactics to scare me into giving it to her. Did they threaten to take her away, or kick me out? No. But you can believe they tried to make me feel like the worst mother in the world for not giving it...

 

So while I am sure HSDLA embellished this story, it would not really surprise me if the foundation of the story was true. Just like in main stream media, the more sensational you make something sound, even if you have to embellish, the more attention you will get.

 

~coffee~

[Oak Knoll Mom]

I totally believe something like this could happen. I had an over-zealous nurse threaten to call DSS concerning my 36 hours old son because she didn't agree with the pediatrician's directives. Yes, she didn't agree with the doctor and was going to report me to social services.

 

She told me, "We call DSS on people like you." Another doctor quickly chastised her and no one called DSS, but it was a tense (and tear filled) few minutes. My pediatrician called me at home a few days later and apologized and told me that his office and the hospital were meeting to put a new policy in place to prevent a situation like mine from happening again. It was horrible and was very close to turning into a story like this.

[Aura]

Why is it wrong for HSLDA to involve itself w/ non-homeschooling cases? Ultimately, homeschooling is centered around parental rights, so it makes sense to me that they would be interested in other cases involving parental rights. I don't see the problem there.

 

But, does HSLDA have a history of misrepresenting the facts? The article does appear to be sensationalized, but if the basic facts are correct, then I don't see a reason to dismiss the story just because you might not agree w/ the organization politically.

 

I do agree that it would be nice to hear the hospital's side of the story, but I think the only way that would happen would be if they were pressured by news organizations.

Edited March 28, 2012 by Aura
sp. error

[Caraway]

Minus the police, and subbing a nurse for the social worker, I had a very similar birth experience.

 

It was one of the most horrible experiences of my entire life.

 

I have no trouble believing this story as written.

[Gretchen in NJ]

Why is it wrong for HSLDA to involve itself w/ non-homeschooling cases? Ultimately, homeschooling is centered around parental rights, so it makes sense to me that they would be interested in other cases involving parental rights. I don't see the problem there.

 

But, does HSLDA have a history of misrepresenting the facts? The article does appear to be sensationalized, but if the basic facts are correct, then I don't see a reason to dismiss the story just because you might not agree w/ the organization politically.

 

I do agree that it would be nice to hear the hospital's side of the story, but I think the only way that would happen would be if they were pressured by news organizations.

:iagree:except for your last sentence. Because of HIPA, it would be impossible for the hospital to share their side. I have never seen HSLDA misrepresent the facts.

[Aura]

:iagree:except for your last sentence. Because of HIPA, it would be impossible for the hospital to share their side. I have never seen HSLDA misrepresent the facts.

 

True, didn't think about that. :glare:

[Lady Florida.]

Because of HIPA, it would be impossible for the hospital to share their side.

 

The police report should be public record though. If the police really did escort her out of the hospital, the when and why would be in the report. I don't have the time or desire to look for it, but I'm just putting that out there.

[Rebecca VA]

http://dockets.justia.com/docket/pennsylvania/pamdce/1:2012cv00442/88588/

 

There's definitely a lawsuit happening.

 

I believe the story because a vengeful nurse (I knew her from a previous situation, and I happened to know something that embarrassed her -- though I never had any intention of revealing it) spread rumors about me before the birth of my daughter. I didn't know about it when I checked into the hospital. My room was filthy -- bloodstains, trash, and roaches were in plain sight. The other nurses did malicious things like stick me repeatedly for an IV, laughing the whole time. My obstetrician withdrew from my case for reasons I never understood, and the new OB treated me like a psychiatric patient. My husband definitely noticed something weird was happening. The day after the birth, a social worker visited me and began questioning me. I was so horrified that my husband and I confronted the (old) obstetrician, and we found out the nurse had made false accusations against me. The OB apologized, and we never pursued the matter, but I wish I had complained to the hospital management. It took years for me to get over the trauma of that hospital stay.

 

If one nurse with a grudge could hold that much power -- and that was 15 years ago -- I can only imagine what could happen to someone else nowadays. So yes, I believe the story.

 

I'm guessing that the reason HSLDA is asking for donations is because the case isn't the kind they normally handle, and they're probably not budgeted for non-homeschooling cases. Just a guess.

[laundrycrisis]

The police report should be public record though. If the police really did escort her out of the hospital, the when and why would be in the report. I don't have the time or desire to look for it, but I'm just putting that out there.

 

 

http://www.derrypd.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=23:incident-reports&catid=8:online-services

 

"By policy the Derry Township Police Department does not release incident reports. Incident reports will be released in the following instances: 1) To assisting or referred law enforcement and/or public safety agencies

2) To those who possess and court order requiring the release of said incident report

3) In compliance with the Freedom of Information Act. (Please ensure that you meet the requirements of the FOIA before submitting application)

Persons seeking incident reports from the department should meet one or more of these standards before contacting the police department records section."

[celticmom]

I don't know. I have heard of things like this happenning.

 

It may not be a homeschooling issue which is why the parents most likely didn't call HSLDA right away before the situation got out of hand. They are a homeschooling family. I have no problem with HSLDA asking for donations to cover this case since it is not a homeschooling case and funds collected from homeschooling membership should not be used on a non-homeschooling case. I would have an issue with them if they didn't.

 

:iagree:Doctors and hospitals have done similiar things in the past especially in an attempt to "punish" parents who homebirth or were planning to do so. Unfortunately I do not know of any organization that is the homebirth equivalent of hslda protecting the rights of these parents.

[Susan C.]

With the case in Virginia where a kid with cancer was taken to court to try to force chemo, another in Texas, now a court case in Michigan where a hospital is trying to force a family to give their child non-FDA approved chemo (this one the kid has been cancer free on three scans), with the few birth stories on this thread, I believe its true.

 

I haven't sorted it all out, but there is some scary stuff going down when things like this happen.

[happyhomemaker25]

HSLDA helped us out during a non homeschool issue a few years ago and I am FOREVER grateful.

[Gretchen in NJ]

The police report should be public record though. If the police really did escort her out of the hospital, the when and why would be in the report. I don't have the time or desire to look for it, but I'm just putting that out there.

Would it? When it involves social services? I am not sure that it would be public record since social services are kept private.

[bolt.]

It seems to me (a) that the mother had some very strong preferences about home birth and possibly unnecessary vaccinations, and (b) that the medical staff had some very strong opinions about the amount of danger that the mother's non-consent could cause to the newborn.

 

I understand both positions on the issue. It's likely that the issue became very heated and very foggy at the time -- but I don't think anyone would have been acting out of malice. States have different rules (and I'm from Canada), but it seems reasonable that a basic social work procedure might be something like, "If a parent won't consent to an important medical treatment, and by doing so puts the child in immediate medical danger..." -- In most cases, if the hypothetical child really is/was in immediate medical danger, wouldn't we want to see an intervention in that situation before the child suffered the consequences?

 

So, I really don't know if this child was in medical danger, either from the process of the mother's chosen method / location of giving birth, or from the mother being stubborn about tests and vaccinations -- but to me it seems much more likely that all the hospital staff, the social worker and the police all colluded together because they genuinely perceived that to be the case -- not because they had some kind of grudge or just liked to tell lies and cause misery. Call me an optimist, or maybe naive, but I find most people who act badly do so based on honest perceptions, not because they are bad people.

 

Of course, being Canadian, there is a difference in culture and worldview that might make a difference in how I assess a situation like this.

[Wolfmeis]

The inflammatory language and lack of any corroborating detail (about the statements and actions of the "accused") make it unbelievable. It also does not make sense, when read as a narrative. Something has been left out. Hospitals don't call the police on patients unless something is very seriously wrong. I've worked in a hospital for 22 years now, and I've never once seen that happen.

 

I have seen it happen. I've also seen corroborated news reports about things like this. This isn't a homeschool thing, as a pp notied, it's a homebirth persecution thing. Someone didn't like the parents, and off it spiralled.

[sparkygirl]

There are two key words in this article that have me questioning the validity of the article as well as the HSLDA for representing this case as well as seeking donations based on this case.

 

"Hershey Medical Center - a government hospital" Hershey Medical Center has not be a public or "government" hospital since 1997. At which time the hospital merged with a private health care company.

[Momof3littles]

 

So, I really don't know if this child was in medical danger, either from the process of the mother's chosen method / location of giving birth, or from the mother being stubborn about tests and vaccinations -- but to me it seems much more likely that all the hospital staff, the social worker and the police all colluded together because they genuinely perceived that to be the case -- not because they had some kind of grudge or just liked to tell lies and cause misery. Call me an optimist, or maybe naive, but I find most people who act badly do so based on honest perceptions, not because they are bad people.

 

Of course, being Canadian, there is a difference in culture and worldview that might make a difference in how I assess a situation like this.

 

Well, stubborn or not, PA allows exemptions from vaccines for religious reasons. This is the PA wording:

(b) Religious exemption. Children need not be immunized if the parent, guardian or emancipated child objects in writing to the immunization on religious grounds or on the basis of a strong moral or ethical conviction similar to a religious belief.

 

Our very first pediatrician was very mainstream and affiliated with a nationally known children's hospital. They recommended waiting until I think the 2w visit for Hep B at that time and requested their patients receive it at that time vs. in hospital. That was back in 2004.

 

How can you have informed consent if the alternative is "we call CPS on you?"

 

I have no idea what happened in this case specifically but i have heard of similar things happening to parents who made non traditional choices or transferred after a HB for example. (eta: and I'm not an HSLDA fan so don't put a ton of weight in their reporting).

[MinivanMom]

I have seen it happen. I've also seen corroborated news reports about things like this. This isn't a homeschool thing, as a pp notied, it's a homebirth persecution thing. Someone didn't like the parents, and off it spiralled.

 

:iagree:

 

I don't care for HSLDA and they aren't helping themselves by using inflammatory (and apparently untrue) phrases like "government hospital", but these things definitely happen. All it takes is an overzealous nurse and/or social worker.

 

I dealt with a baby nurse like this during the night shift after my 3rd child was born. It was due to conflict over me rooming-in with the baby after an easy, natural childbirth. It got very tense, but I was fortunately able to keep things from spiraling out of control. It could have ended very differently if I had been refusing immunizations or doing anything else out of the mainstream. My gut instinct at the time was that she was just looking for me to give her an excuse. It was one of the most stressful nights of my life. I can't imagine encountering a nurse like that if I was a homebirth transfer. Heaven help me.

 

I'm about to have my second homebirth. Our nearest hospital has a good reputation for how they deal with homebirth transfers and my midwife has a good reputation in our local medical community, but I know that in a homebirth transfer it only takes one nurse, one doctor, or one social worker for it to quickly escalate into a situation. Yes, it would probably be quickly remedied by a judge (since homebirthing is perfectly legal for crying out loud), but quickly doesn't mean much when you are talking about being separated from your newborn.

[SunnyDays]

I don't care how quickly it was resolved, a mother should never be separated from her newborn. Regardless of anyone's feelings toward HSLDA, if this story has any truth at all, it's a big problem. While social workers certainly do help a lot of children, there are some overzealous ones out there that wield far too much power over families and their decisions.

[scrappyhappymama]

I have no personal knowledge of this case and am a little perplexed about why HSLDA is involved, although I can certainly appreciate that someone needed to advocate for the family. But I have absolutely NO problem believing this story is potentially true. We know of a family here in Texas who dealt with almost the exact same scenario, ending with a confrontation with CPS, all because they declined the Vit K shot in the hospital. They were harassed appallingly at the hospital once they were labelled as troublemakers and they were coerced just as the parents in this story with threats of having the baby taken away if they did not comply. It took months for the family to be completely absolved by CPS.

[Momof3littles]

Anyone remember this story? Since they charged both parents, the child ended up in CPS custody.

http://www.wusa9.com/news/article/173108/0/Sandwiches-Led-To-Pregnant-Woman-and-Husbands-Arrests-In-Honolulu-Safeway-3-Year-Old-Daughter-Taken-By-CPS

 

Whether you think they were right or wrong in what they did, this is where I get extremely frustrated...the child is really better off in CPS custody in this case, kwim?

Edited March 28, 2012 by Momof3littles

[Parrothead]

I don't know. I have heard of things like this happenning.

 

It may not be a homeschooling issue which is why the parents most likely didn't call HSLDA right away before the situation got out of hand. They are a homeschooling family. I have no problem with HSLDA asking for donations to cover this case since it is not a homeschooling case and funds collected from homeschooling membership should not be used on a non-homeschooling case. I would have an issue with them if they didn't.

I think it is great that they are fundraising for their costs. That is less the family will have to pay.

 

 

In this day and age, I am completely and totally unsurprised by the article.

You and me both.

 

It sounds more like persecution for planning a home birth, not homeschooling. It's a violation of their rights either way.

That was the first thing I thought.

 

The court case is real.

 

http://dockets.justia.com/docket/pennsylvania/pamdce/1:2012cv00442/88588/

Thanks for linking this.

 

Minus the police, and subbing a nurse for the social worker, I had a very similar birth experience.

 

It was one of the most horrible experiences of my entire life.

 

I have no trouble believing this story as written.

I'm so very sorry you had to go through something like this.

[Caraway]

It's likely that the issue became very heated and very foggy at the time -- but I don't think anyone would have been acting out of malice.

 

I disagree. I think that people do, sometimes, act out of malice. In my case I think that it began because the the nurse was so confident in herself she ignored all else. She chose to withhold care in ways that endangered me and my baby.

 

I know that you don't know me, so you will just have to take my word for it... but my husband and I are clean, polite, articulate, educated people. We were there for our third natural birth. We were following the directives of our midwives and pediatrician. We had an experienced doula with us, as well as my parents in the waiting room.

 

I would never have imagined the hell that this one nurse caused for us. During one part of our "stay" the nurse abandoned me, bleeding, with an IV, in a wheelchair, for two hours after my baby had been transported via ambulance to a NICU hospital. She made sure that I suffered. If that isn't malice, what is it?

 

I am not this woman in the HSLDA case. But if you read about my situation, you would think "surely there is more. This cannot possibly have happened this way. The mother must be nuts and the hospital staff must have a different story." Yet it did happen, exactly as described.

 

:iagree:

 

All it takes is an overzealous nurse and/or social worker.

 

I dealt with a baby nurse like this during the night shift after my 3rd child was born. It was due to conflict over me rooming-in with the baby after an easy, natural childbirth. It got very tense, but I was fortunately able to keep things from spiraling out of control. It could have ended very differently if I had been refusing immunizations or doing anything else out of the mainstream. My gut instinct at the time was that she was just looking for me to give her an excuse. It was one of the most stressful nights of my life. I can't imagine encountering a nurse like that if I was a homebirth transfer. Heaven help me.

 

I'm about to have my second homebirth. Our nearest hospital has a good reputation for how they deal with homebirth transfers and my midwife has a good reputation in our local medical community, but I know that in a homebirth transfer it only takes one nurse, one doctor, or one social worker for it to quickly escalate into a situation. Yes, it would probably be quickly remedied by a judge (since homebirthing is perfectly legal for crying out loud), but quickly doesn't mean much when you are talking about being separated from your newborn.

 

:iagree:

[bagel270]

Homebirth transfers are not always treated nicely. Nothing this extreme happened to my sil, but the way she was treated as a transfer, and how I was treated by the same doctor was markedly different.

[celticmom]

I don't care how quickly it was resolved, a mother should never be separated from her newborn. Regardless of anyone's feelings toward HSLDA, if this story has any truth at all, it's a big problem. While social workers certainly do help a lot of children, there are some overzealous ones out there that wield far too much power over families and their decisions.

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

[bolt.]

I would never have imagined the hell that this one nurse caused for us. During one part of our "stay" the nurse abandoned me, bleeding, with an IV, in a wheelchair, for two hours after my baby had been transported via ambulance to a NICU hospital. She made sure that I suffered. If that isn't malice, what is it?

Oh, I definitely can see that sometimes some people do act out of malice. I'm so sorry that you were treated this way!

 

In the case of the article, there were just so many people involved -- who all concurred in the action -- that it would be statistically odd if (what? maybe 4 to 6 people?) all happened to be actively malicious in the same place at the same time.

 

Obviously it's possible that one malicious person manipulated the others -- I'm not saying it's impossible that it happened out of malice -- my thoughts just run in such a way that it seems significantly more likely that the events snowballed themselves either due to miscommunication or mis-perception. It seems to be the simplest explanation, so, in the absence of unbiased information I wouldn't tend to give the other conclusion much weight.

[Young Curmudgeon]

There are two key words in this article that have me questioning the validity of the article as well as the HSLDA for representing this case as well as seeking donations based on this case.

 

"Hershey Medical Center - a government hospital" Hershey Medical Center has not be a public or "government" hospital since 1997. At which time the hospital merged with a private health care company.

 

Q: What change has occurred?

 

A: The Board of Directors of the Penn State Geisinger Health System voted on Nov. 18 to restructure the health system. This change has the effect of dissolving the merger and returning control of the clinical operations of The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center to Penn State.

Intercom Online

"Special Edition for the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center" November 19

1999

 

Thus back in government's hands.

[jennsmile]

It does mention the baby came early. I know in TX earlier than 36 weeks I would have to go to a hospital. I wonder if gestational age came into their "concern" for the baby. Or the size of a the baby. Was it a little 4 lb preemie or something.

 

As a homebirther it just makes me sad that her plans had to change and things got ugly. But yep we will never know the other side of the story.

[Penelope]

It does mention the baby came early. I know in TX earlier than 36 weeks I would have to go to a hospital. I wonder if gestational age came into their "concern" for the baby. Or the size of a the baby. Was it a little 4 lb preemie or something.

 

 

That is what came to mind when I read the article. Were they refusing care that was considered more necessary for a preemie? And that would make more sense as to why they would want to observe the baby longer.

 

Also it may have to do with prenatal care. If she had not had standard testing for gestational diabetes, hepatitis, group B strep, there are standard guidelines for monitoring the newborn afterwards in those cases.

[Lady Florida.]

http://www.derrypd.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=23:incident-reports&catid=8:online-services

 

"By policy the Derry Township Police Department does not release incident reports. Incident reports will be released in the following instances: 1) To assisting or referred law enforcement and/or public safety agencies

2) To those who possess and court order requiring the release of said incident report

3) In compliance with the Freedom of Information Act. (Please ensure that you meet the requirements of the FOIA before submitting application)

Persons seeking incident reports from the department should meet one or more of these standards before contacting the police department records section."

 

But they could be challenged. Police reports are public records. At least the basic report is.

 

http://www.openrecordspa.org/news_files/0eba1a5159b40ee06110e161b8f7d6de-128.html

 

The short answer is that under the Criminal History Record Information Act, 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 9101, et seq., police blotters, press releases and criminal dockets are public records. Additionally, Pennsylvania courts have determined that police incident reports are public records. See Tapco, Inc . v. Township of Neville, 695 A.2d 460 ( Pa. Cmwlth. 1997). In other words, basic information, such as names of those involved in an incident, a brief description of the incident, and any charges filed, are public. In contrast, more detailed police investigative records are generally not public.

[ktgrok]

Not only is it true, but a woman I know fairly well, locally, is a social worker and says that she is OFTEN called in on these kinds of things. That if the baby is born outside of the hospital some of the old school pediatricians insist it has to stay 48 hours, and if the mom doesn't agree they call in her, the social worker, and if she can't convince the mom to let the baby stay they call DCF.

 

Scared the living daylights out of me. I have nightmares about this kind of thing. I'm FOREVER grateful that my midwife has a good relationship with a local OB/GYN group, and is treated well at one of the local hospitals, AND that we have a homebirth friendly pediatrician who sees many babies born at birth centers and homebirths. I can't imagine him doing this. But...I suppose if he is out of town or whatever, and you get the pediatrician on call....you never know.

 

Again, SCARES the CRAP out of me. And makes me also very glad that I have a friend that is a family practice lawyer familiar with working with/against DCF. Ugh.

[ktgrok]

I don't know if it is true or not, but the following things stood out to me:

 

1) We do not know the whole story.

 

2) HSLDA is notorious for spinning a story in a way that is most likely to cause panic.

 

3) It is not about homeschooling, which they admit. Once again they are overstepping their own stated goals.

 

4) It ends with a plea for donations. :glare:

 

IF,...if, if, IF it all happened exactly as they reported it there are other agencies/organizations that would handle this case. It seems almost laughable that they are taking on yet another cause.

 

My first reaction was the same. Then a woman I know personally, who is a social worker, said this is actually fairly common, except that they didn't follow the proper protocol. They should have done the proper paperwork, etc...but that yes, if the baby is born out of the hospital and mom doesnt agree easily to a 48 hour watch, treatment/tests/etc they call her in as a social worker OFTEN. EVEN when the baby is perfectly healthy.

 

So now I believe it, and am scared.

[ktgrok]

The inflammatory language and lack of any corroborating detail (about the statements and actions of the "accused") make it unbelievable. It also does not make sense, when read as a narrative. Something has been left out. Hospitals don't call the police on patients unless something is very seriously wrong. I've worked in a hospital for 22 years now, and I've never once seen that happen.

 

It may depend on the hospital/area. The social worker I know said it happens fairly commonly in out of hospital births that show up at the hospital, but ONLY with certain pediatricians. It is up to the pediatrician how it is handled, and she said it is always the same ones. But yeah, I guess here in Orlando it happens often enough. Usually she said she can convince the parents to just keep the kid in the hospital another day or two to avoid DCF, but if they don't agree to the pediatricians tests and procedures she does call in DCF.