Among the changes that have occurred in the way many Saudi families in the Kingdom function is the increasing reliance on maids to perform the tasks of nannies and take care of children both inside and outside the home.
It is a common sight to see a child accompanied by a maid at the amusement parks, restaurants and malls. But to send a sick child to the hospital with a maid while the parents are away is something that previously unheard of in Saudi society. However, many children are seen accompanied by maids to hospitals.
Al-Riyadh daily spoke to several citizens for their opinion on the matter, many of who called for laws that prohibit doctors from examining children who are not accompanied by their legal guardians.
Special circumstances
Al-Jawhara Al-Ammar, a working mother, said sometimes parents go through circumstances that compel them to send their children to the hospital with the maid.
“I don't think parents have become so lazy that they can't take their children to the hospital. Perhaps the parents work far away and the child had a medical emergency. In this case, they would have to ask the maid to rush the child to the hospital. Or perhaps there's an appointment and the parents are away at work,” she said.
Teacher Hadeel Al-Humaid disagreed with Al-Ammar and said she has noticed a trend of maids accompanying children to hospitals. She described parents who send their children with maids to the hospital as “negligent and careless.”
“The concerned authorities should pass laws prohibiting the medical examination of children who are not accompanied by their legal guardians. There should be an exception for emergencies if the parents are away,” she said. Manal Al-Dhwiyan, a working mother, also called for a similar law.
“Medical institutions should not be allowed to examine a child who is accompanied by a maid, especially if the child suffers from a chronic condition. Such a law will protect children against their parents' negligence and carelessness,” she said.
Umm Badar Al-Farraj, a housewife, said she has seen maids accompanying children at the hospital several times.
“One day I took my sick daughter to hospital. While we were waiting outside the clinic, a maid showed up with a child who appeared to be very sick. When the child started crying, the maid bought him some juice, which he promptly vomited up. Apparently, the child had some kind of allergy the maid did not know about. I felt very sad and wondered why the child's parents were not there and what could possibly have kept them from accompanying their own child to the hospital,” she said.
Dangerous complications
Psychologist Hutoon Al-Abdali said it is dangerous for a child to be accompanied by a maid to the hospital, especially if the child is allergic to certain medications and has some kind of a chronic medical condition.
“Parents must accompany their children to see the doctor to prevent any dangerous complications that the child may develop if the doctor prescribes a medication that the child should not have taken. For me, I don't see any child who is not accompanied by one of his parents, except in emergency cases,” she said.
