Australia - Claire Harvey: Don’t duck the law by sending kids to quacks

IF you take your child to a naturopath, there’s something wrong with you.

I mean, something really wrong — way wronger than the ingrown toenail or funny rash or, I don’t know, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia you are seeking treatment for.

Because — well, let’s be honest. Naturopaths are quacks. So are chiropractors*, traditional Chinese herbalists, iridologists, palm-readers, homeopaths, Bowen therapists and reiki practitioners.

Quack, quack, quack.

They might spin a story about being “holistic”. They might say they’re drawing on millennia of ancient knowledge.


But the truth is they’re just anti-medicine. Anti-knowledge. Anti-vaccine, anti-fluoride — you name it, they’re against it. And if you fall for their nonsense, I think you ­deserve exactly what you get.

That is, nothing.

Nothing of any benefit to your health or “wellbeing”.

But if you inflict that ­neglect on your children, you really do have a problem.

A Sydney naturopath, Marilyn Bodnar, is up on charges of recklessly causing grievous bodily harm to a baby boy, and aiding and abetting his mother in failing to provide for the child, causing a danger of death. His mother was charged with failing to provide for her child, putting him in danger of death, and recklessly causing grievous bodily harm.

The baby spent a month in the Children’s Hospital at Westmead being saved from death by doctors and nurses who actually know what they’re doing.

I don’t know if either the mum or the naturopath is guilty. They might have a plausible defence.

But either way, I am thrilled to see the seriousness with which NSW Police treat allegations of parents failing to protect their children from snake-oil merchants............

But the truth is they’re just anti-medicine. Anti-knowledge. Anti-vaccine, anti-fluoride — you name it, they’re against it. And if you fall for their nonsense, I think you ­deserve exactly what you get.

Wow, she isn't biased much is she?