I guess I could understand it if the doc was completely convinced that she had meningitis. However, he obviously did not know, which is why he was ordering the test. It was just a guess.
A five week old may not develop the signs of a stiff neck, headache, light sensitivity that older patients may demonstrated or be able to tell you about. Often they are only sick looking, irritable, and have a fever. The spinal tap was probably indicated in this infant and carries very little risk. It's odd that the family didn't consent. I don't think that the circumstances justified the subsequent actions however.
Brilliant, you're simply not living up to your name with this post. The only way the doctor could be "completely convinced" that the child had meningitis would be to check the spinal fluid for white blood cells.
I am the parent of a child who did in fact contract meningitis at eight weeks old. I don't know what the "odds" of her having it before the diagnosis were and frankly, I don't care! Any chance that my child would possibly have a deadly disease is good enough for me. I also had a friend who died of undiagnosed meninigitis in two days. It's not something to fool around with. Yes, a spinal tap is horrible and I cried my heart out hearing my child's screams but it saved her life.
Give me a break, we're supposed to trust the judgment of these parents over doctors who have been through medical school and work in an emergency room with the sole goal of saving lives? If the child did in fact have meningitis and died or became severely disabled, they would certainly be falling all over themselves to sue and claim that they shouldn't have been allowed to make the decision. Either way, they want to make a buck! I'm all for individual rights, but not when it comes to the life of a child.