2 under Two: Providing the Basics: Health Care Coverage?
Posted by Catherine on December 15, 2010Last Tuesday night, BigBoy was lying in his crib talking, and talking as the clock ticked off the minutes since I’d put him to bed. Granted, he was in his bed quietly muttering to himself, so I let it go for a little while, but he needed his sleep as he had been a “crabby pants” all day. Nearly 1 hour after I’d put him down, I went in to tell him it was time to go to bed and he replied, “mommy, my ears hurt, call the doctor and tell him to get his strepascope and you sit down in the room and listen” (Side note: he is super bossy). We had been to BabyBoy’s well check appointment a week ago and so I chalked up his “orders” to just remembering the day. Dismissed.
The next morning he woke up with goop in his eyes so thick they were mostly closed shut, a dry cough, and crying from ear pain. A Dr.’s visit later, he was diagnosed with a SUPER DOUPER double ear infection, bacterial pinkeye and post-nasal drip causing the cough. We left with an eye ointment, a high-powered antibiotic that was sure to cause diarrhea, a dosage for cough medicine and a recommendation to get a probiotic. Oh, yeah, and a prescription for BabyBoy, because he would surely come down with it soon.
And as I’m leaving, I tell BigBoy, “I’m sorry mommy didn’t listen to you when you said your ear hurts, please tell mommy when you are in pain again and I will listen”. Next time, I’ll listen, I promise.
But this got me thinking about the parents who don’t listen, who don’t take their kid to the doctor when they do show signs of illness and whose kids suffer through horrible sicknesses because the parents don’t/ can’t provide basic health care for their kids. I ignored it because I couldn’t imagine a 2 yr old telling me his symptoms, but to ignore it because it costs too much? Or the parents who don’t take advantage of free health care provided for the uninsured because…I don’t know why?
When did providing basic health care coverage for your young, dependent children become so optional? Kids get sick – it’s what they do best!! How can it be too expensive today to pay a little every month knowing that tomorrow they might break an arm that will cost you WAY more than you’ll pay in a year’s worth of health care? Their health is worth it. And as a parent, it is our most fundamental job to provide. We provide food and clothes, should we provide health care?
I’m on this soapbox today because I have tired of the excuses for neglecting children the basics. Children have no voice to speak up and speak out and so I will speak for them. Please, this winter season, pass along this information about free health care for children and help keep “our future” healthy and happy!
