Court orders children to get vaccination against mother's wishes…

The Family Court has ordered that three children receive their childhood vaccines after the parents disagreed about whether the children should be vaccinated.

The parents of the children separated three years ago and had been involved in several disputes regarding the children since then.

The father wanted the children to be vaccinated, however the mother refused to consent to her children receiving the vaccines due to her religious beliefs and fear for her children’s health. She stated that her eldest child had displayed signs of autism, and that the vaccinations may impact her children’s health.

She argued that all the diseases that may be contracted by her children are treatable and that her children would recover with no issues. The children had previously contracted chicken pox and whooping cough and recovered without any issues arising.

The parents had also agreed to raise their children using a ‘natural approach’ during their relationship.

When asked about the potential risks of receiving the vaccine, the children’s GP stated that none of the children had any health problems that meant that vaccinations posed any risk to their health.

The children were asked what their preferences were, to which they presented the view that they did not want to receive the vaccines. They did not elaborate on their views, though one child noted they did not want the vaccines due to worries that the injections would hurt.

The Judge decided that the children should receive the vaccines because the health risks involved with doing so were minimal. The Judge also stated that the diseases that the children were at risk of contracting if the vaccines were not received were serious and may not be treatable. It was also noted that the children were influenced by each parents’ strong views on vaccination.

If there is confusion around the appropriate course of action regarding care of a child, it pays to seek advice from a professional with experience in the area.

Leading law firms committed to helping clients cost-effectively will have a range of fixed-price Initial Consultations to suit most people’s needs in quickly learning what their options are.  At Rainey Collins we have an experienced team who can answer your questions and put you on the right track.

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