essentialoils.im Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-15270268 A very unfortunate and sad story.. Dwomoh was obsessed with Diamond's weight and fed her liquidised food, including meat and cereals, using a jug when she was weaning the child onto solid food, the jury heard. During the trial, the court was shown two jugs - the size of cups - which she used to feed the child. Dwomoh told the court she made up feeds, including liquidised chicken soup, in one jug and transferred small amounts into the other which she fed the girl with. She said she was trying "to give her nutrients rather than milk". As far as I see it, this was a terrible accident for which the Mother will face guilt and sorrow for the rest of her life, but on top of that, sadly she faces a jail sentance. It all sounds awful to our culture, but this is common practice for many African mothers. They don't mean anything by it - they have been fed this way by their own mothers, and they believe it to be effective and better for the child. I'm not defending it... and for this particular mother and child it has gone terribly wrong, but it's one of those situations that to one culture is completely normal, but for another culture, the person now faces imprisonment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ans Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Somewhat concerning that she was working as a nurse responsible for feeding terminally ill patients... While any child's death is a tragedy, it's even more so when it would appear that had the proper authorities taken the right action, it could have been easily preventable. This woman's other children were all treated for food inhalation and associated health problems, one even requiring surgery to correct the damage. Not abrogating the responsibilities she had as a parent entirely, but they have to shoulder some of the blame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essentialoils.im Posted October 13, 2011 Author Share Posted October 13, 2011 Yes, it should be added that this case (her manner of feeding) was clearly more severe than the norm - as I say, it is common to many African mothers to feed with Jugs and force the food into the baby, yet their children will grow up fine. That said, I imagine this particular mother was quite innocently (albeit very wrongly) attempting to do what she felt was right - despite having been warned not to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La_Dolce_Vita Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Though the issue does centre on the matter of recognising that the child was distressed in being forced to eat this food. That's when it should have stopped. And it is quite amazing that (as Ans mentions) this woman caused harm to her other children yet still continued with this practice. She does bear complete responsibility unless she has mental health issues that need to be considered. And I do wonder whether the harm she did to her other children and her fixation on matters of the child's weights betray a form of mental health matter. Sounds like a norm that ought to be changed in African countries if it can lead to this though. Is it right that very yound children should be forcedto eat food? I have no experience at feeding children, but forcing a child to swallow something sounds like a form of violence to me. We consider forcefeeding to be unacceptable for persons (humans from toddler age upward to adulthood), so why is it acceptable for babies? I understand the need to get babies to start eating solids but they are clearly alternatives that work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essentialoils.im Posted October 13, 2011 Author Share Posted October 13, 2011 I may not be recalling this quite correctly, but I believe midwives advise when starting breast feeding to almost 'force' the baby to latch on. That's a minor example.. but the point is there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La_Dolce_Vita Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Latch on the boob? Yeah, but it's another matter to force them to drink it. The issue is quite simple in terms of right and wrong. Can be baby be fed without forcing them to eat and can they learn to eat solids without forcing it down their throat? If the yes, then forcing them is totally unacceptable. We don't accept violent behaviour in other instances, I don't see why an exception should be made for babies. But the degree of responsibility in this case is another matter. She was either labouring mental health problems; had learning difficulties; or was just very ignorant. Maybe it was a mixture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gladys Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Force feeding in Africa may be the lesser of two evils, given the very different nutritional environment. It may be absolutely necessary to get a child on to solid food as another is on the way and the nutritional value of the solid food may be so low that force feeding is the only way to get the nutrition in. Very odd that this woman was in nursing; wonder where she trained? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquarius Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 She may have been following her cultural norm and doing what her mother taught her but hang on a sec - she is a NURSE! In a massive London teaching hospital! No matter where she trained you can't tell me that she was taught that this is right? She would of been taught about aspiration of contents into the lungs and the consequences as a matter of course! Her actions are either as a result of stupidity or cruelty or maybe she actually is not a trained nurse! There is no excuse for this behaviour in someone living and working in the western health profession! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malkin Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 i don't think I'll go to another hospital ever again... a freaking nurse??! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquarius Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 Three years hey? What price a life? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartT Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 She may have been following her cultural norm and doing what her mother taught her but hang on a sec - she is a NURSE! In a massive London teaching hospital! No matter where she trained you can't tell me that she was taught that this is right? She would of been taught about aspiration of contents into the lungs and the consequences as a matter of course! Her actions are either as a result of stupidity or cruelty or maybe she actually is not a trained nurse! There is no excuse for this behaviour in someone living and working in the western health profession! I totally agree - any nurse - indeed any healthcare assistant would know the potential risks of feeding a child or any other person in this way. Cultural or not, it's unforgivable for a registered practitioner (if she is a registered nurse) to subject her children to this - and to have noted that in the past this has caused harm and yet still continue to do so. Has anyone checked the NMC register to see if she's on it? If she is registered then I predict she will soon be facing an NMC investigation too and will probably be struck off... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartT Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 i don't think I'll go to another hospital ever again... a freaking nurse??! Tar everyone with the same brush...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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