The couple were accused of hitting a six-month-old baby.
“Not every child with bruises is a victim of domestic violence,” say Tom and Darryl, parents of two boys, indignantly. When they brought their youngest, half-year-old Jack, to the hospital, complaining of terrible bruises on the boy’s body, the doctors first accused the father and mother of child abuse and only then began to conduct an examination.
Indeed, what else can be the first thought when you see a nursing child covered with bruises? Of course, only about the cruelty or criminal negligence of the parents. Unfortunately, this also happens. But not at this time.
“We were literally accused of mistreating Jack,” Darryl almost cries. – Doctors took dozens of pictures, examining him, asked dozens of questions, the whole point of which boiled down to the fact that we probably overdid it with spanking. I was so ashamed, so scared. But doctors, instead of looking for the true cause of the bruises, blamed us. “
- Photo Shoot:
- facebook.com/darrylannesillery
Two days later, it turned out that Jack was suffering from a severe form of hemophilia. This disease affects only boys, women are carriers, but their symptoms are “dormant”. Due to this disorder, the blood loses its ability to clot. The slightest bruise causes extensive bruising, and when a cut is cut, the blood cannot be stopped. But little children do nothing but stumble and fall.
As it turned out, Jack inherited hemophilia from his mother, and she, in turn, from her mother. Moreover, both women did not even suspect that they were carriers of this formidable disease.
“We have an older son, and he is fine. And my mother was always surprised at how easily she bruises, but did not attach any importance to it, ”says Darryl.
Jack is now given injections every three days to increase the number of platelets in his blood. The disease cannot be cured. Jack will have to live, constantly considering his particular fragility. Going downhill, falling off a bike, playing football and other contact sports, learning to skate and rollerblading – all this is not for him.
- Photo Shoot:
- facebook.com/darrylannesillery
“I hate summer. You have to dress Jack in shorts, and every time people start to look at us like monsters who beat their child. And some even come up and ask what we are doing with our son and that he has such injuries, ”complains Darryl.
By the way, Darryl and Tom are still lucky. Another couple was arrested because of their son’s illness: they took them out of the house, wringing their hands in front of the children and neighbors, and took them to prison. They had to prove that they did not beat their son. In the end, they succeeded, doctors confirmed that the boy was allergic to milk, which manifested itself in such a strange way. But the life of the family was no longer the same: such a shame, such stress is not easy to survive.
By the way, hemophilia is not the only disease that a child can inherit from a mother. There is also a whole list of problems that are transmitted from her.