Additionally - ignorance of the proper home environment for the patient and what comforts are needed and what extraordinary measures must be taken. An finally - what to expect as the disease runs its course and what is happening and will happen during the period of treatment.
Finally - the legalities that may be brought to bear against the caretakers of the minor child that suffers neuropathic disease, when the care is proven to be dangerously inadequate or harmful to the minor patient.
This article is the first of a randomly appearing series about the issues of the care and treatment of minor patients of neuropathic disease. From time to time - these subsequent articles will discuss in-depth - these issues of effective care and treatment.
Some of these same issues pertain to the adult patient ot neuropathic disease - as well.
INTRODUCTION
This week's article is about a common tragedy that exists here in our country. It is all about the effective denial of appropriate medical services to minors - either due to ignorance or indifference of the parents to a child's acute suffering - due to neuropathic disease.
As some of us know - Neuropathic diseases display very few visible signs. Thus for the most part - a patient who suffers from such diseases - displays very few outward signs of illness. Of course - the degree of pain that the patient suffers is very great. This may result in display of extreme distress in some form. But this distress is not sufficient to convey to the other family members - the exact nature of the disease as it acts upon the patient.
THE HOME ENVIRONMENT
Family members - in most cases being totally ignorant of the disease and its manifestations - do not know how to provide a comfortable environment for the patient. In most cases - the minor patient is of school age. Thus the illness results in a complete and sudden change of lifestyle for the patient. Isolation from peers and school activities often acts upon the patient as a constant source of stress. Stress exacerbates the pain that results from the activity of the disease. Thus begins the circular descent into the hell of extreme pain for the minor patient.
