Double Trauma: Mismanaged Health Care in the Parent Foster System

Imagine your worst nightmare as a parent...DAshon was born three months early weighed just over one pound and tested positive for several drugs including cocaine and marijuana which most likely contributed to his premature birth. Shortly after birth he had difficulty breathing which led to a tracheostomy with a tube placed so he could breathe. Child protective services took custody of DAshon and managed his care placing him in foster care.As his foster mother Linda Badawo was hopeful as the outlook for his future was encouraging. However as DAshon approached his first birthday he developed a dangerous habit of pulling out his trach many times during the day. Consequently he needed round-the-clock nursing care to prevent him from pulling it out or if he pulled out reinserting it immediately.However the health insurance company covering foster children like DAshon refused to follow the doctors orders and provide him with the necessary nursing supervision. Unfortunately the limited care led to an irreparable irreversible trauma leaving DAshon with brain damage at 14 months. He is now in a persistent vegetative state.Although Linda cannot change what happened to her son she wrote Double Trauma to tell his story in the hopes that we can work together to change the quality of health care that our most needy and fragile citizens need.Linda Badawo a native of Nigeria is a nurse and lives in Texas.www.aakolbookpublishing.com