Homeopathy    Ah yes, purveyors of Woo this is your fault.  This isn’t Big Pharma, this isn’t biased studies, or any of the mendacity that you preach – the death of this child is squarely and completely on you.  The CBC reports:

“Criminal charges are pending against a Calgary mother who police allege relied on holistic treatments instead of getting medical help for her seven-year-old son’s strep infection.”

Holistic treatments to treat a bacterial infection?  Are you frakking kidding me – how much nonsense did the woo pedlars have to feed this parent to make her eschew effective medical treatment and treat her son with fucking potions and positive energy?

“On the morning of March 2, emergency crews were called to a 17th Avenue S.W. basement suite where a young boy was having a seizure. He was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.”

 

“An autopsy found the cause of death was a strep infection, which would have been treatable with penicillin.”

What a way to go – from the CDC on strep infection…

“Severe, sometimes life-threatening, GAS disease may occur when bacteria get into parts of the body where bacteria usually are not found, such as the blood, muscle, or the lungs. These infections are termed “invasive GAS disease.” Two of the most severe, but least common, forms of invasive GAS disease are necrotizing fasciitis and Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome. Necrotizing fasciitis (occasionally described by the media as “the flesh-eating bacteria”) destroys muscles, fat, and skin tissue. Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS), causes blood pressure to drop rapidly and organs (e.g., kidney, liver, lungs) to fail. STSS is not the same as the “toxic shock syndrome” frequently associated with tampon usage. About 20% of patients with necrotizing fasciitis and more than half with STSS die. About 10%-15% of patients with other forms of invasive group A streptococcal disease die.”

Speculation here, but the boy’s organs were being destroyed by the bacteria, he most likely was in severe pain for 10 days.

“Police allege the mother did not take the boy for treatment, giving him holistic remedies instead.”

Holistic fucking remedies?  This is why alternative medicine is so dangerous, people die because they believe in weapons-grade bullshit.

“The treatment rendered at home was homeopathic in nature. This would include herbal remedies. The mother refused to take the child to a medical professional. No excuse given — just her belief system,” said Staff Sgt. Mark Cavilla.”

Her belief system?  Believing in stupid shit gets people killed(bonus points if you can draw a parallel to religious belief).  Holistic alternative medicine ranks high on the list of stupid shit to believe in.

“The boy was bedridden for 10 days prior to his death, police allege. Charges are pending against his 44-year-old mother. Those charges include criminal negligence causing death and failing to provide the necessaries of life.”

I’m waiting for the proud Alternative Medicine Community to stand up and own this child’s death, for teaching a mother not to trust evidence based medicine, for letting a child suffer for 10 days with a curable affliction.

I know what response we’ll get from these charlatans.  Frakking Crickets.