is withholding childs medical information to other parent- is that neglect?

[PBSL]

G'day all
A friend of mine , another single dad, asked me to find out for him if
his ex has criminally neglected their son.
The mother knew that the boy had a medical problem for 6 years
and failed not only to tell the father but didn't do anything for the boy
except
the initial doctors visit and another trip for a 2nd opinion.

He wanted to know if this is considered child neglect on the mothers part.

Until I met this guy I thought I had it bad. He believes anything his ex's
lawyer tells him and until he met me didn't know he could file court papers
himself.
He truly loves and cares for the boy , 13.
Waiting for a legal aid lawyer to help you is madness when kids are
involved.

I introduced him to the relevant online Govt family law sites. but this
issue he has worries me because the Childs doctor, fearing a law suit
refuses to give him
a copy of the diagnosis. All he knows is that its a bowel disorder and
possibly
treatable.

tia

[Betsy]

"PBSL" > wrote in message
...
> G'day all
> A friend of mine , another single dad, asked me to find out for him if
> his ex has criminally neglected their son.
> The mother knew that the boy had a medical problem for 6 years
> and failed not only to tell the father but didn't do anything for the boy
> except
> the initial doctors visit and another trip for a 2nd opinion.
>
> He wanted to know if this is considered child neglect on the mothers part.
>
> Until I met this guy I thought I had it bad. He believes anything his ex's
> lawyer tells him and until he met me didn't know he could file court
> papers himself.
> He truly loves and cares for the boy , 13.
> Waiting for a legal aid lawyer to help you is madness when kids are
> involved.
>
> I introduced him to the relevant online Govt family law sites. but this
> issue he has worries me because the Childs doctor, fearing a law suit
> refuses to give him
> a copy of the diagnosis. All he knows is that its a bowel disorder and
> possibly
> treatable.
>
> tia
>
>

What documentation does your friend have with regards to custody
arrangements. I know that until my son's father terminated his parental
rights, his father had full access to school and medical information. I may
have had physical custody, but we had shared parental responsibility,
therefore no physician could legally with hold information from my ex had he
requested it. That's the first thing your friend should look into WRT
finding out the diagnosis. After that is done, and he gets the required
information, then he can consider if there was neglect involved.

Betsy

[PBSL]

"'Kate" > wrote in message
...
> On Wed, 01 Dec 2004 12:29:16 GMT, "PBSL" >
> wrote:
>
>>G'day all
>>A friend of mine , another single dad, asked me to find out for him if
>>his ex has criminally neglected their son.
>>The mother knew that the boy had a medical problem for 6 years
>>and failed not only to tell the father but didn't do anything for the boy
>>except
>>the initial doctors visit and another trip for a 2nd opinion.
>>
>>He wanted to know if this is considered child neglect on the mothers part.
>>
>>Until I met this guy I thought I had it bad. He believes anything his ex's
>>lawyer tells him and until he met me didn't know he could file court
>>papers
>>himself.
>>He truly loves and cares for the boy , 13.
>>Waiting for a legal aid lawyer to help you is madness when kids are
>>involved.
>>
>>I introduced him to the relevant online Govt family law sites. but this
>>issue he has worries me because the Childs doctor, fearing a law suit
>>refuses to give him
>>a copy of the diagnosis. All he knows is that its a bowel disorder and
>>possibly
>>treatable.
>>
>>tia
>
> I know you have scads of answers by now and from people more qualified
> than I am WRT divorce issues... but I do know that mediation and
> addressing the other parent directly would probably be a faster,
> better route to information... working on building the relationship
> between co-parents is always better in the long run.
>
> 'Kate

Hi Kate

I agree that mediation is always the best route to take. Unfortunately this
advice
will fall on deaf ears here.
This situation is now clearer to me. Both parents seem hell-bent on hurting
each other,
and because the father assumed that I may know some magical tactic he could
use
to payback the mother, In was tainted by his selfish motives.
The facts told to me were fairly accurate, it turns out that the boy
had been soiling himself several times a day and this had been kept from the
father
for over six years.
I suggested a visit to the doctor to obtain a referral to see a specialist
regardless of the
court order that all major decisions are to be made by the mother.

The poor kid is just a pawn in all this , and this "problem" is most likely
brought on by
the parents childish/selfish behaviour in the first place.
What makes this worse is , the "system" over here (NSW Australia)
can be manipulated in this way, and what the child thinks is irrelevant.
I feel that the children should have more of a say in family court issues.
Even if they are as young as six. I'm sure a suitably trained individual
can help the child articulate his/her feelings.
Pbs