Can Giving Your Child Cough Meds Be Considered Child Abuse?

[Kronzek Cronkright]

Any experienced Children’s Protective Services defense lawyer in Michigan can tell you that accusations of child abuse are not to be taken lightly. Not only could your parental rights be terminated, but you could also face legal consequences such as fines or jail time. It is important that all guardians know what type of behavior is considered appropriate, so that their family is not subjected to separation. For instance, parents who provide their crying children with cough medicine to put him or her to sleep may not think they are breaking the law, but some expert researchers call it child abuse.

In recent news, one infant was brought to the local hospital in “bad shape” after his mother gave him a dose of cough medicine in the afternoon and one in the evening so that the baby would sleep. Immediately upon arrival, the child was taken to intensive care and put on a ventilator. According to expert toxicologist Amitava Dasgupta, the infant nearly died from an overdose of dextromethorphan, a common component of cough medicine.

Even though Dasgupta considers this case a lack of information and not an intentional overdose, there are others in the field who maintain that parental misuse of prescription drugs on children is a under-recognized issue. Toxicology fellow Dr. Shan Yin explained that even if the guardian is not intending to hurt the child, it is still considered child abuse and worthy of reporting to Children’s Protective Services (CPS). All physicians are required by the Michigan Child Protection Law to report any incidents of suspected child abuse. Yin believes that “doctors need to be aware of this kind of issue” just as they would be watching for physical or sexual abuse.

Toxicology experts like Dr. Yin may feel morally compelled to report the parental misuse of prescription drugs on kids as child abuse, which can land parents in a whole lot of trouble. If convicted of abusing or neglecting your child, you could not only lose your parental rights, but could also face significant time behind bars. To protect yourself and your family, it is essential to be pro-active in seeking the best legal defense for your case. Contacting knowledgeable and aggressive child abuse attorneys in Michigan will ensure the legal advice and legal representation necessary to preserve your freedoms and keep your family together.