Spouses-vegetarians have refused in adoption of the child
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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A couple from the Greek city of Heraklion was denied adoption of the child, due to the fact that the couple adhere to a vegetarian diet.
As reported by the Herald Sun, the couple intends to appeal the decision of the city social service in court.
The specialists of the department had suspicions that foster parents would restrict the nutrition of the child in accordance with their beliefs. The head of the service, Spyros Epitropakis, said that the decision to refuse adoption was made following a consultation with specialists from the Faculty of Medicine at Cretan University. According to the conclusion of doctors, a full-fledged diet of the child should include meat, fish and other products of animal origin.
According to Epitropakis, the Social Security Service had to make sure that the child was treated properly. He also noted that the final decision on the adoption will be made by the court, which will consider the complaint of the spouses on March 16.
Pediatrician and dietician from the University of Cretan Antonis Kafatos (Antonis Kafatos), in turn, called the failure of the authorities to refuse to adopt a child. In his opinion, children need fish and other seafood, as well as milk. "However, if foster parents are not going to feed the child in accordance with their diet, there should be no problems with adoption," Kafatos added.
The failure of the Greek authorities can be explained by serious fears for the health of the child. There are cases when children who were brought up in families of vegetarians developed with disabilities and even died because of such a diet. In particular, in 2008 a serious form of rickets developed in the Scottish girl, whom her parents did not give meat and milk. In 2003, the daughter of Americans, who practiced the use of exceptionally raw food (raw food diet), died of malnutrition and severe vitamin deficiency. The weight of a five-month-old girl at the time of death was half the age limit.
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