The purpose of the reading is to show that religious beliefs are sometimes barriers to offering adequate care to children. It points out that while complementary and alternative medicine is essential for children, it may also hinder health for young children primarily because children are unable to make informed decisions for themselves. O'mathúna and Lang (2008) through the article try to argue that even though complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) can be preferred in some instances, the parents should also seek professional help, particularly from nurses. This action may prevent unnecessary outcomes like the one where Kara Neumann, an 11-year-old girl who died after her parents failed to seek medical help, instead, preferring prayer as they erroneously judged their child’s condition to a spiritual attack.
As such, O'mathúna and Lang (2008) promote seeking professional help even when CAM can apply, only then will they have an informed knowledge on the path to take. The article implies that preferring religious beliefs over the health of a child can be costly. However, O'mathúna and Lang (2008) failed to provide the most important aspect when making medical treatment decisions- can religion override medicine or can medicine override religion. The article also seemed not to answer whether CAM is erroneous since they chose to support the decision made by the parents from an ethical point of view. As such, it is evident that O'mathúna and Lang (2008) failed to provide a clear-cut preference for medicine or religious beliefs. Instead, they chose to support both sides of the argument. However, the article was insightful as it provided both sides of the argument on whether to support religious beliefs or medicine. As such, the piece is vital in delivering factors that are worth considering when parents are deciding on whether to use CAM or medicine in treating their children.
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The reading is similar to other sources of information covered in the semester in that it provides a trade-off between two difficult decisions that involve medical care, especially children. There are many errors that parents make when seeking to provide the best medical care to their children. O'mathúna and Lang (2008) stresses one of those errors, which is not seeking medical help and preferring CAM without any professional viewpoint from professionals, such as the nurses. Therefore, it provides a recommendation that parents before preferring another option in treating their youngsters, they need first to seek a professional opinion and act accordingly with the best interest of the child’s well-being.
The reading relates to my life’s experiences in that I have seen people being brainwashed by religious beliefs only to make poor decisions. Religion in some instances leads to adverse actions, which might have been prevented if the individual was rational, such as not seeking medical help and relying only on faith. In my opinion, even though at times it works, it is recommended to seek help from a medical professional. Both emotionally and rationally, my evaluation of the reading is that CAM may at times work, but it is important to consider what the nurses and doctors have to say. I feel that the parents were at fault as the child was unwell to the point that she could not eat a day before her untimely death. Even though I feel for the parents, I am of the opinion that they should not have let their religious beliefs bar what was best for their child – seeking medical help.
Reference
O'mathúna, D. P., & Lang, K. (2008). Medicine vs. prayer: the case of Kara Neumann. Pediatric Nursing, 34 (5), 413-417.
