Medical concerns

[backwardsbike]

Hi Soc,

I have posted before and you have given very helpful advice.  For that I thank you and now I am back again.

All parties in PA.  Joint legal with BD being primary physcial custodial and BM ( me) having periods of partial physical custody. Namely, I see the kids EOW, half of all holidays and half of summer.

The father has never been very good at getting the kids routine medical care.  He has difficulty taking time off from work to get them to appointments and refuses to allow me to take them during his custodial periods.  His new wife has taken them on occassion but for some unknown reason doesn't do it consistently.

The allergist called my home one month ago and told me someone had requested a refill for DD's hydocortisone nasal spray and that it had been called in to the pharmacy.  But the doctor needed to see DD as it had been two years since her last appointment.  This docotor sees pediatric patients yearly.  I gave them Cps phone number and requested they call him as I do not have custody during their office hours.

To date no appointment has been made.  I verified this through the central appointments line.  I did contact the doctor to ask if this was important enough to make a fuss over.  They say it is important and that te doc won't refill the perscription again without an appointment.  Unfortunately they gave 12 refills so it will be at least a year possibly 24 months before this becomes an issue again.

I would like to have my daughter seen.  I would like the children's routine medical care to be a priority.  I would  like to be able to have some control over this aspect of my childrens' lives.

My ex also recently told a medical provider not to give me information regarding this same DD.  I have joint legal custody.  I had to take a copy of my order to the doctor's office and they had to check with thier legal department before I could get the answers to my questions.

When the question was finally answered I discovered that CP either misunderstood the doctor's directions or just palin misinformed me as what he told me was not the same as what was written in the chart.

Questions:

1. What can I do to ensure that the children receive their routine medical checkups?

2.  How can I ensure that doctor's instructions are being understood and followed by CP?

3.What steps should I take when instructions are not being followed?

4.  How important is this issue with regards to seeking a custody modication?

5. When does this lack of attention to routine care become medical neglect?

6.  As an NCP how far can I go to see that Cp understands and follows directions without my behavior being considered harrassing?

[socrateaser]

I think your questions are pretty much all the same. Write the CP and discuss the issue, then ask if you can take the child to an appointment, in as much as he doesn't seem to have time.

Then see what kind of response you get. If CP tells you to screw off, then I would wait to see if an appointment is made and if not, then I would file for a new custody hearing on grounds that the CP is acting against the child's interests.

This all assumes that the child continues to need care -- which may or may not be the case -- only the doctor would be able to make that call.