Doctors asking children if their parents have guns at home??

[WarHawk-AVG]

Doctor: Does your Daddy have a gun in the house?

Child: Yep, he has a S&W 44 magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off. Let me ask you a question, do you feel lucky? Well, do ya Doc? [Dirty Harry Jr.]

The messed up part would be you get a visit from CPS and get grilled up one side down the other because they are there to investigate you and you WOULDN'T be able to find out who reported you! Take a guess?

[srothstein]

Doctor: Does your Daddy have a gun in the house?

Child: Yep, he has a S&W 44 magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off. Let me ask you a question, do you feel lucky? Well, do ya Doc? [Dirty Harry Jr.]

I like that answer. It sounds almost like my kid.

I think my son would answer something along the lines of "Of course, doesn't yours?" My daughter would answer: "Yes, so do my sister and me." (I doubt her grammar would use the correct and I)

[kw5kw]

I've noticed this on questionnaires at the ObGyn's office. The "Do you have a handgun in your home?" question is right there with the "Does your husband punch, hit, or kick you?" question.

I can't say that I care for the honorable RKBA being lumped with domestic violence.

Say: "Yes, I have a handgun because my husband kicks and hits me!"

[Venus Pax]

I've noticed this on questionnaires at the ObGyn's office. The "Do you have a handgun in your home?" question is right there with the "Does your husband punch, hit, or kick you?" question.

I can't say that I care for the honorable RKBA being lumped with domestic violence.

Say: "Yes, I have a handgun because my husband kicks and hits me!"

I could always reply that question #1 could take care of question #2.

[stevie_d_64]

Like another has stated, this has been going on since the mid 90's...

In my opinion, a child should not be left alone with a doctor or examiner for any reason...Without a parent or legal guardian present for ALL "non sterile" procedures...

Not that I don't trust doctors and nurses, but it just keeps things like this from "innocently" slipping into a visit to the doctor...

I believe the old anti-gun and gun-control group back then was called "PAX"...Have to do some digging but I believe thats what I recall the group promoting this type of intrusive interrogations was called...

[maximus2161]

Doctor: Does your Daddy have a gun in the house?

Child: Yep, he has a S&W 44 magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off. Let me ask you a question, do you feel lucky? Well, do ya Doc? [Dirty Harry Jr.]

LOL!!!! Greatness! I am making my 7 year old commit this answer to memory right now! :)

I think if a doctor asks such a question like this and it has nothing to do with the child's health they they should be sued, loose thier license to practice, whatever.

[Kalrog]

I think if a doctor asks such a question like this and it has nothing to do with the child's health they they should be sued, loose thier license to practice, whatever.

The problem is that pediatricians are generally safe asking about things that the AMA has said that they have jurisdiction over. And the AMA has said that asking about firearms is allowed - so you would have a tough time with that argument. Same with the boundary violation thing (which would essentially be your argument). That doesn't mean you don't make the argument though...

[cbr600]

On the other hand, for the moment you are still free to find a better doctor. You're also free to recommend the good doctor to friends and coworkers who are new parents looking for a pediatrician, and give two thumbs down on the misguided doctor.

[TxFire]

Our pediatrician has asked if we have guns in the home before. He then went on to recommend gun safes and trigger locks. This was all part of his standard child safety spill which also involved smoke detectors and child seats. His question was profession and non-intrusive, others may not be though.

[Kalrog]

Our pediatrician has asked if we have guns in the home before. He then went on to recommend gun safes and trigger locks. This was all part of his standard child safety spill which also involved smoke detectors and child seats. His question was profession and non-intrusive, others may not be though.

I would argue that the doctor had no business with any of that since he is not an expert in those fields. It might have been done politely, but that doesn't make it right.

[frankie_the_yankee]

Our pediatrician has asked if we have guns in the home before. He then went on to recommend gun safes and trigger locks. This was all part of his standard child safety spill which also involved smoke detectors and child seats. His question was profession and non-intrusive, others may not be though.

That's fine. But remember that he is practicing a profession, specifically medicine. He has a wall full of diplomas establishing that he has the proper education and licenses to practice that profession. He went to this or that medical school, interned here or there, etc.

So what are his professional qualifications to dispense home firearms safety advice? Is he an NRA certified instructor or training counsellor in Home Firearms Safety? Is he certified by the state? Is he certified by the AMA in Home Forearms Safety? Does he have any certificates establishing any of these things.

If not, I would question his standing to offer such advice in a professional setting. And I would do it to his face if the situation presented itself.

[<lost>]

These types of threads reinforce our satisfaction with our doctors, our kids doctor even supports our 'non-mainstream' choices and is intelligent enough to ask questions and realign his previously misguided thinking...too bad the AMA doesn't issue awards for common sense, I'd nominate him.

[tallmike]

Our pediatrician has asked if we have guns in the home before. He then went on to recommend gun safes and trigger locks. This was all part of his standard child safety spill which also involved smoke detectors and child seats. His question was profession and non-intrusive, others may not be though.

I would argue that the doctor had no business with any of that since he is not an expert in those fields. It might have been done politely, but that doesn't make it right.

I recommend gun safes to gun owners with kids too and I am certainly not an expert.

Keeping guns locked up (or on your person, I would love to have a pediatrician add that part) when children are around is common sense and I do not think someone needs to be an expert to issue common sense advice.

[<lost>]

Keeping guns locked up (or on your person, I would love to have a pediatrician add that part) when children are around is common sense and I do not think someone needs to be an expert to issue common sense advice.

tallmike, law aside would you recommend this with your knives as well? This has always been an interesting discussion to me because I encounter people that say you can train kids not cut themselves or others as well as not flipping over hot pans, drinking caustic chemicals however for some reason guns get this special place of total lock down. Granted if they're not your kids or you have a kid with special needs that can't discern dangerous things than I agree but do you believe children in general are not capable of learning the dangers of guns?

[tallmike]

tallmike, law aside would you recommend this with your knives as well? This has always been an interesting discussion to me because I encounter people that say you can train kids not cut themselves or others as well as not flipping over hot pans, drinking caustic chemicals however for some reason guns get this special place of total lock down. Granted if they're not your kids or you have a kid with special needs that can't discern dangerous things than I agree but do you believe children in general are not capable of learning the dangers of guns?

Do you carry a knife for self defense, or perhaps some chemicals from under the sink thrown at the bad guy? No.

Guns are more dangerous than those items because a kid just picking on up can kill themself or someone else, if they pick it up with pressure on the trigger.

I no longer lock up chemicals because my kids have outgrown that stage (the cabinets were certainly locked when they were younger).

A child may pick up a knife and cut themself, the cut can heal very easily and is unlikely to cause any long term damage or death. The chance of death from a child playing with a knife is about the same a child playing with kid scissors or a nice pen. They can fall while holding any of them and impale themselves on it causing death.

You can try to make those other items the same as a gun, but we all know the reality is they are not the same. Guns kill quickly and easily, that is why we all carry them. They are dangerous because they have to be in order to fulfill their function. Kids do not make the best choices all the time, that is why they have parents to teach them. I teach my kids about gun safety and shooting while under my supervision. They own, and love to watch, the NRA training video with Eddie Eagle that teaches them to "stop, dont touch, leave the area, tell an adult" and my daugter likes to show the little dance to people she meets. Just because they know not to touch guns doesnt mean I will leave them out to test the training. There is too much on the line. OK Im ranting now so Ill stop...