Are Religious Exemption Laws Killing Children?

In Weston, Wisconsin on Sunday, March 23, 2008, 11-year old Madeline Neumann died from diabetes that had gone untreated. According to FOXNews, the last time her parents took her to the doctor was when she was 3-years old. Her parents are not affiliated with any church, but they do have small Bible studies that a few people attended in their home. They called on these people to pray. After Madeline died they assumed that they didn't have enough faith for God to heal their daughter, but believe that God could still resurrect her.

In Grand Junction, Colorado on February 5, 2001, 13-year old Amanda Bates died from diabetes that had gone untreated. According to an article by the Associated Press, Colleen and Randy Bates were members of the General Assembly Church of the First Born. The elders of the church prayed for Amanda and the women tried to give her liquids and put lotion on her sores. Amanda's parents were sentenced to 20 years of probation and were ordered to obtain medical insurance for their other 12 children and take them to the doctor as needed.

Diabetic ketoacidosis is the result of diabetes that is untreated. The symptoms include vomiting, weight loss, nausea, loss of appetite, excessive thirst, lethargy, weakness, abdominal pain, hyperventilation and confusion. It can be treated and usually results in a full recovery. Treatment includes being given fluids, electrolytes, insulin and glucose. Ongoing doses of insulin would be required to manage the diabetes.

While these are just two cases of children that died from their parents refusing to give them medical care to treat diabetes, there are many, many more children that die from other diseases for the same reason. Several religious groups such as, Church of the First Born, Jehovah's Witness, Christian Scientists and many others persuade their members to not seek medical attention, but to rely on faith and prayer instead. The sad part is that some of the people that practice using prayer as a sole means for healing are convinced that it is something that they did or didn't do that kept the person they were praying for from becoming healed.

Most states allow for a religious exemption when it comes to refusing medical care for their children. The most popular exemption seems to be for those of the Christian Scientists faith. However, in order to refuse medical care or vaccinations, a parent does not have to be part of an organized religion, they must only state their objections for religious reasons. Religious reasons can be used to exempt their children from mandated vaccinations to attend school. Even with vaccinations, communicable diseases can still be caught. At least the children that received the vaccination and caught the disease will get medical treatment since their parents obviously believe in taking them to the doctor.

Parents should be allowed to pray for the children and not immediately take them to the doctor, but there comes a time when the line is crossed and the child becomes gravely ill when a doctor should be allowed to step in and possibly give the child life-saving treatment. The religious exemption laws vary from state to state in how they perceive what is neglect and whether parents are guilty by letting their children die instead of giving them medical care. Under ordinary circumstances, if a parent refused to take their child to the doctor, they would be guilty of a crime. The law would not protect them without having religious reasons for refusing their child medical treatment. However, if they did have religious reasons they could possibly be protected under the religious exemption law from being prosecuted.

I don't know anyone that would refuse medical care for their children so it's really hard for me to empathize with anyone that would. Also, it's very hard for me to condemn someone that does refuse medical care because I don't know what their thinking and reasoning is behind refusing medical treatment. It seems like a no-brainer for myself. Your child is sick. You want your child to get better. Pray for your child AND take your child to the doctor. I don't think God gave doctors the intelligence they have so that we wouldn't use them. I also don't think that God intended doctors to be a replacement for prayer. However, for myself it only makes sense to combine the two. I believe that prayer should be supplemental to medical care. I also believe that people have the freedom to practice religion, any religion they choose. While my heart goes out to the children that die, I believe that it's not my place to condemn their parents for practicing what they believe.