Take Care Of Maya

[DanaK]

Netflix doc streaming June 19

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When nine-year-old Maya Kowalski was admitted to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in 2016, nothing could have prepared her or her family for what they were about to go through. As the medical team tried to understand her rare illness, they began to question the basic truths that bound the Kowalskis together. Suddenly, Maya was in state custody – despite two parents who were desperate to bring their daughter home. The story of the Kowalski family – as told in their own words – will change the way you look at children’s healthcare forever.

 

[AheadofStraight]

This one is going to stay with me for a long time. What that poor family went through - and it still isn't resolved. Tragic.

[Straycat80]

This was a horrific story, all true. My heart broke for that family. I hope they finally get their day in court. 

[Stevie Nicks]

Just heartbreaking. No resolution and no real closure. 

[merylinkid]

I would not have settled with the doctor.   If the doctor doesn't say she is abused, none of this happens.   That doctor sees abuse anyone doesn't parent the EXACT way she thinks they should.

And that Judge.   No she can't hug her daughter.   What was she going to do, give her a ketamine injection right there in the courtroom?

The hospital going "oh we provide well and care for all our patients."   You found out the mother committed suicide and you referred to Maya as "Ketamine girl."   That is not caring.   That is treating her like a joke.  I don't blame Maya for never wanting to go to a hospital again.    Also they were BILLING for treatment for a condition they claimed she didn't have and that mom was faking for attention.

Was the ketamine treatment the right thing?   I don't know.   But the parents were following what they thought was a legitimate doctor's advice.   That might be wrong, but its not abuse.   I swear to god Munchhausen by Proxy is so RARE if you ask an actual psychologist not a doctor who thinks she is the savior of all children, that they should have known it probably wasn't that.   Think horses, not zebras.   

[Meredith Quill]

Well done, if the aim is for parents to fear doctors and hospitals, objective achieved. The result of which can lead nowhere good, only to needless pain and suffering of both children and parents. I'm actually outraged. Talk about 'do no harm' - pfft. I feel so sorry for Maya and others in her situation, traumatised by the system that was created to protect from harm. I know of parents who refuse to seek treatment for depression in case it's used against them in the future should they ever be wrongfully put under the spotlight of child services; that's messed up. Until it happens to them or someone they're close to, most people, understandably but mistakenly, assume 'no smoke without fire' - except there is, there's faux smoke billowing everywhere. It's terrible.

[merylinkid]

18 hours ago, SilverStormm said:

know of parents who refuse to seek treatment for depression in case it's used against them in the future should they ever be wrongfully put under the spotlight of child services

Or anything to do with custody.   I do family law.   The number of people going through a traumatic event like divorce who will NOT seek therapy is pretty high.   They don't want it used against them in court.   I can SAY all I want that Judges WANT to see you getting help, as long as you are following treatment you are fine, but they are still scared that their ex will say "my significant other is crazy, give me the kids" and they believe the courts will agree.

[Meredith Quill]

5 hours ago, merylinkid said:

Or anything to do with custody.   I do family law.   The number of people going through a traumatic event like divorce who will NOT seek therapy is pretty high.   They don't want it used against them in court.   I can SAY all I want that Judges WANT to see you getting help, as long as you are following treatment you are fine, but they are still scared that their ex will say "my significant other is crazy, give me the kids" and they believe the courts will agree.

I don't know about the US specifically, but here in the UK, children can, and have, been taken away under the spurious reasoning of 'risk of emotional harm' for things like, parents arguing/shouting (non-violently) as an example. Add into that mix if either parent has a medical history of depression - good luck beating the system then. So instead, depressed parents suffer in silence out of fear, which is a fabulous environment for children to be in... Bravo system, great job. 👏 It's staggeringly counter-intuitive to helping families imo.

I'm not even going to get into UK family courts being closed courts, because that is a whole other plane of awfulness all by itself.

[Eureka]

I got 20 minutes into this and had to turn it off. Just didn’t want to watch any more.

[Marigold66]

Agree with all the comments stated here.  I watch a lot of depressing documentaries but this one was absolutely heart wrenching.  Just watching Maya and her brother come home so dejected from the hearing where that judge callously disregarded their case and even their attempt to read a victim impact statement made me so sad for them.  And dad just sitting in tired resignation at the counter was awful.  I truly hope that their case moves forward and they receive some semblance of justice.

[Meredith Quill]

What flummoxes me, is that if parents taking medical advice from a doctor that other doctors later disagree with, can be deemed a risk to their child's health by a court - what about parents who outright refuse medical treatment for their child? Let's take Jehovah Witnesses as an example; they refuse blood transfusions for themselves and their children (even life threatening in some instances) - why are their children not put under the care of the state whenever that occurs? I confusion, confusion & dismay. What a shambles.

[merylinkid]

On 7/10/2023 at 3:30 PM, SilverStormm said:

Let's take Jehovah Witnesses as an example; they refuse blood transfusions for themselves and their children (even life threatening in some instances) - why are their children not put under the care of the state whenever that occurs? I confusion, confusion & dismay. What a shambles.

The doctors know they can't control those families through fear and intimidation.   JW know their rights.    The doctors who do this crap go after vulnerable families who are just scared for their kids and will do anything to get them back.

[Meredith Quill]

20 minutes ago, merylinkid said:

The doctors know they can't control those families through fear and intimidation.   JW know their rights.    The doctors who do this crap go after vulnerable families who are just scared for their kids and will do anything to get them back.

Exactly. A rule is a rule is a rule. What a rule should never be is cherry-picked. I rest my case m'lord.

ETA I'm not including extenuating circumstances^. I'm referring to instances where the logic, ethics and situation is, for all intents and purposes, the same. 

[Marigold66]

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Hospital Found Liable in the Case of Maya Kowalski

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