US Health Care, The Best in the World???

For many Americans there is an unfortunate notion that our health care is the best in the world, so, when I recently read an article entitled "The Epidemic of Medical Child Abuse, and what can be done", I had to share some statements and comment.

Just read the first statement from author, Dana Ullman:

The primary purpose of this article is to encourage a stronger commitment from doctors and parents to consider using safer medical care for infants and children FIRST before resorting to more dangerous treatments.

I absolutely agree with this statement. It's not to say that there are not medical treatments which are necessary and lifesaving, but are there options. What are those options? Take constipation for example. I have seen numerous children hospitalized due to constipation. When if their parents or health care providers used simple infant massage techniques, they may not had such severe constipation and then as a result been hospitalized due to it.

NOW read the statistics below:

Although many people consider American health care to be “the best in the world,” the World Health Organization has ranked the United States to be the 37th (!) in the world in the “performance of the overall health system” and 72nd (!!) in “overall level of health” (of the 191 member countries). American health care may be the most expensive, but there is no evidence to prove that increased expense leads to improved health status.

I hope to some of you these statistics are not surprising, but to many they will be. We must take into our own hands the power to be more competent in the care of our children. By taking into our own hands, YES you can read that literally. Start and continue massaging your children, always with their permission and at their comfort level. By massaging your children you can positively contribute to their health and well being without the outrageous costs of the current US health care system!