I think anyone that denies his or her child medical treatment in certain instances is a person. I won't make a blanket statement and say all instances. Take for example my own son, I refuse to give him tylenol and the doctors give it to me left and right. Every time I take him in for something they pass me the tylenol even though I have explained to them that we have a family history of liver failure from tylenol. I odn't know if some people are more susceptible than others but from the looks of it, we seem to be. I flatly refuse to give it to him. I don't think that makes me a person, I think it makes me a parent who is saving her child's life. Now if the situation were different, something more extreme and I denied my child medical care, I think that would be abuse. I'm all for individual rights but it seems to me that this is an issue that borders on child abuse, child neglect and the "m" word.

i agree with tigres...
if this child is in a critical condition and the parents refuse medical care
b/c it is against what they believe and the child actually dies and could have been saved with medical attention... I think that is a form of abuse/neglect...
but i think that since tigres does know her family history with Tylenol and liver failure she has every right to explain to the dr's. why she will not give her son Tylenol.. and they should respect that and give her some other kind of medicine that wont cause liver failure.... that is the dr's. bad...

good job tigres for watching out for your son and knowing your family's medical history!

I guess after much consideration that I think people should be allowed to opt out of giving medical treatment for religious/personal reasons. Medical advances have gone so far, maybe it's too far for some people. It's not like with holding food or a basic need. I don' think it's really any different than not giving immunizations. I may not like it, but I think other people have to make their own decision about it.

I personally think withholding live-saving procedures from a child who CANNOT make the decision for himself is terrible neglect and almost murder. Just as I do not feel you have a right to force one religion on a child (he should be educated in many including atheism) until he is old enough to choose, I also feel that controlling his life to such an extend that you let him DIE because of your religious beliefs is just wrong.

I just can't see forcing someone to have an operation if it goes against their faith. i don't agree, but it ain't up to me to decide. I think that infringes on freedom to practice religion. Just my opinion.

I just thought, though-why do I care what people feed their kids if I don't think they should be forced to provide medical care for their kids.....I will have to ponder some more.

I don't care if grown adults want to deny themselves medical treatment, but not a child.