I was asked a strange question yesterday...

[Boston-Irish]

So my wife and I take our two year old daughter to her "two year" pediatric apointment yesterday. The doctor was asking us the usual questions like exposure to lead, TB, etc. She then asks if we have "guns in our house" and "are they locked up?"
My wife and I looked at each other, shockingly and answered "yes" and "YES".
I am not concerned that she asked the question as much as I was disapointed in the tone in which she asked it. It was almost condescending and judgemental. As if we are poor parents for being gun owners. By the way my wife was an active shooter before our first child, and is pregnant again so she is still not shooting because of the lead factor.
Has anyone ever had this happen to them before?
Thanks.... have a great holiday!

 

[Jay G]

So my wife and I take our two year old daughter to her "two year" pediatric apointment yesterday. The doctor was asking us the usual questions like exposure to lead, TB, etc. She then asks if we have "guns in our house" and "are they locked up?"
My wife and I looked at each other, shockingly and answered "yes" and "YES".
I am not concerned that she asked the question as much as I was disapointed in the tone in which she asked it. It was almost condescending and judgemental. As if we are poor parents for being gun owners. By the way my wife was an active shooter before our first child, and is pregnant again so she is still not shooting because of the lead factor.
Has anyone ever had this happen to them before?
Thanks.... have a great holiday!

Find a new doctor.

Whether you have guns in the home or not is of ZERO concern of theirs.

 

[Pilgrim]

"Since she doesn't have a bullet hole in her, it's none of your business."

 

[matt1956]

Find a new doctor.

Whether you have guns in the home or not is of ZERO concern of theirs.

My Kid's Dr. doesn't ask, but on the little sheet that they give you that has all sorts of information on development and safety concerns. It does state that "Matthew should not have access to guns nore be allowed to shoot them at this age." Now personally... I think he is old enough (6) but i guess I never concidered the Lead factor or if that should be a concern.

 

[MrsWildweasel]

Mine never asked. Then again it's none of their business as far as I'm concerned.

 

[icyclefar]

I have heard this many times before.

Some ask, some don't.

Mine asked the kid (not me) "does Mommy or Daddy have guns"

I interupted immediately and asked if she meant ON ME NOW?

I then went on to explain that my son participates regularly in the Youth Rifle program at the Club we belong to, and that he enjoys shooting trap also.

Her response was "sounds like fun"

End of discussion

 

[dwarven1]

I am not concerned that she asked the question as much as I was disapointed in the tone in which she asked it. It was almost condescending and judgemental. As if we are poor parents for being gun owners. By the way my wife was an active shooter before our first child, and is pregnant again so she is still not shooting because of the lead factor.
Has anyone ever had this happen to them before?
Thanks.... have a great holiday!

Yes. My doctor gave me grief about owning guns. What ticked me off when she saw my Riverside button on my vest and asked if I'd been in Washington, DC recently. (this was when Malvo & Muhammad were shooting up the area). I went off on her and I now only see the Nurse Practitioner there...

My advice to you is that unless you're really attached to that doctor, look for another one. Or have a looong talk with her and bring her over to the Light Side of the Force.

 

[Dirtypacman]

+1 tell em its non of there business

 

[sksguns]

Yes. My doctor gave me grief about owning guns. What ticked me off when she saw my Riverside button on my vest and asked if I'd been in Washington, DC recently. (this was when Malvo & Muhammad were shooting up the area). I went off on her and I now only see the Nurse Practitioner there...

My advice to you is that unless you're really attached to that doctor, look for another one. Or have a looong talk with her and bring her over to the Light Side of the Force.

My doctor and I talk about personal issues as well and the fact that I won guns and shoot came up. Her next comment was more of a question as in "when can you take me shooting." I was like how about Saturday and then gave her a list of things to choose from that she might like to try and shoot. Then she offered to let me come and view one of her polo matches...pretty cool lady.

On the other side of it i was concerned about the lead with my kids so they are not allowed near my firearms or ammo until they are older. I already have their first rifles...the wife is pissed but they're my kids too so who cares. But every time i come back from the club I hop in the shower and toss the clothes in the laundry before I go near the kids. But I don't need a doctor to tell me that either. It's none of their business. I like to think I have a strand of commom sense too. Like I don't leave my kids in the car unattended...you don't need to be a brain surgeon to figure that out. Their doctor has never asked and I don't tell.

 

[fubar]

Happened to me too. Maybe 6 years back , the feral child was 4 and the doctor asked about sleep , and breakfast , and guns in the house.

Little one , who was strangley afraid of suburban bears , replied yes they are for shooting bears and the bad bears that look like people.

 

[Garys]

There are three questions that every doctor is "supposed" to ask every patient. One is about guns. The second is about smoking. The third is if the person feels threatened by their domestic partner. It's more nanny statism, in this case pushed by the AMA. Some doctors ask, some don't. Most who do ask have had their heads filled with the PC twaddle about guns being unsafe, blah, blah, blah.

Personally, I wouldn't change doctors because of it. Unless there is a problem with the way the doctor asks the question, which is what Boston-Irish indicates.

Of course I like to smoke a cigar after I go shooting. <G>

Gary

 

[News Shooter]

I recollect a few years back

This question was voted on favorably by the AMA to be added to the checklist.
It got some publicity at the time

 

[sksguns]

There are three questions that every doctor is "supposed" to ask every patient. One is about guns. The second is about smoking. The third is if the person feels threatened by their domestic partner. It's more nanny statism, in this case pushed by the AMA. Some doctors ask, some don't. Most who do ask have had their heads filled with the PC twaddle about guns being unsafe, blah, blah, blah.

Personally, I wouldn't change doctors because of it. Unless there is a problem with the way the doctor asks the question, which is what Boston-Irish indicates.

Of course I like to smoke a cigar after I go shooting. <G>

Gary

I've only ever heard the threatening one at the ER. Of course i was laid out on a stretcher as my back went out and my wife all of 8 mos. pregnant came in and they asked me that question. I almost fell off the bed I was laughing so hard. The smoking question I don't even hear them ask anymore I'm so immune to it it's been asked so often. Nobody has ever formally asked me about firearms in the home. I'll ask my wife though...maybe they asked her.


Just asked the wife...she has never been asked about firearms in the home...

 

[RKG]

It may help to put this into perspective:

1. As a group, physicians tend to range from leftists to radical leftists.

2. Like many professionals, MDs seem to believe that their wisdom extends to solving "problems" far beyond the limits of the science of their profession.

3. Like many professionals, MDs tend to forget that the client (or patient) is the one who dictates the relationship, not the professional.

While it is unfortunately but undeniably true that some number of children are injured by firearms in the home each year, these events are accidents (or worse), not medical conditions.

It is equally undeniably true that the number of children who are injured by firearms accidents is a small fraction of the number of children who are (i) "injured" by predatory behavior of adult relatives and (ii) "injured" by pediactric malpractice.

I had a friend solicit my advice when he got this question on a written questionaire that was sent home by the doctor. I told my friend he had two choices: if he liked the doctor for her doctor skills and therefore wanted to keep her, he should leave the question blank. If not, he should find another doctor.

My pal tried the first suggestion. This produced a really snotty telcon from the doctor. My pal apparently responded with some of the statistics I had provided him and then concluded by saying (not a quote but I believe to be reasonably close): "Doc, one of the bases on which I select medical professionals is their professionalism. On that basis, I shall find another doctor for [name of child]."

I thought this a pretty good line.

 

[Len-2A Training]

B-I, please set your User CP to show ALL THREADS, then when you have some spare time do an ADVANCED Search for some keywords such as doctor, boundary (as in boundary violation), etc. and have a read.

Lots of info here on the topic. Yes it is on the forms, doctors are supposed to ask and then lecture you to get rid of all the guns, at least that is the AMA mantra.

We always leave it blank, doctors so far haven't said anything or they'd get an earful.

One of my doctors (Jeff Parsons) is an Endodontist, luckily I don't have to see him often professionally, yet on the other hand I look forward to every trip. We talk about guns, gun laws, gun clubs, etc. Jeff has been a gun owner since he was a kid growing up in PA and is a member of Hanson R&G. Great guy/doc and a real pleasure to talk with! At least one of his partners is an avid hunter.

Another doctor who I no longer see (Jeff Gassman) is a Sports Doc/Orthopedics. He was a member of Sharon F&G when I was there. When I separated my shoulder and tore my rotator cuff, we discussed when and how I could get back into shooting.

Marty Geher is a Dentist, very serious target shooter and member of BR&P.

I'm told that there is a General Practitioner/Internist Doctor just down the street from BR&P who is a shooter and member of the club. I don't know the name, but Marty Geher knows him.

So there are doctors out there who you can safely talk about guns with and not worry about it! Not always easy to find, but ask around your gun clubs or maybe ask your local gun dealer.

 

[EddieCoyle]

When the doctor asked my son about it (during a discussion about lead) he said that he'd been shooting with me but went on to tell her, "We use mostly jacketed ammo."

 

[Jose]

My doctor and I talk about personal issues as well and the fact that I won guns and shoot came up. Her next comment was more of a question as in "when can you take me shooting." I was like how about Saturday and then gave her a list of things to choose from that she might like to try and shoot. Then she offered to let me come and view one of her polo matches...pretty cool lady.

Is she hot?

 

[Jose]

When the doctor asked my son about it (during a discussion about lead) he said that he'd been shooting with me but went on to tell her, "We use mostly jacketed ammo."

Cool!

I wish I had seen the look on her face.

 

[sksguns]

Is she hot?

lol...I'm not sure I would have offered otherwise....

 

[TY43215]

The first time I was asked that question, I politly answered that it had nothing to do with why I was there. Since then, I had not been asked until a couple weeks ago.

There I am wearing my AWARE Invitational Tee Shirt. Nice young lady asks about guns (I have known her and her family for years so I gave her a hard time) I asked why the question was asked. She admitted she thought it was none of their business also until it was explained that if the diagnosis was depression, they would want that info. My answer was it was still none of their business.

She put refused into the computer then said "Nice shirt".

The Docs are like the Dems and are out to save the world. After having the same Doc for 20 years, I am now looking for another. Every year it is another invasive question. Put your glove on, do your exam, and stay out of my business

 

[Maui19]

My Kid's Dr. doesn't ask, but on the little sheet that they give you that has all sorts of information on development and safety concerns. It does state that "Matthew should not have access to guns nore be allowed to shoot them at this age." Now personally... I think he is old enough (6) but i guess I never concidered the Lead factor or if that should be a concern.

I think that's a good way for a doc to handle it. There are a lot of things about shoothing that I think would be bad for a young child: lead, noise, smoke/fumes, etc.

 

[hminsky]

Would using the copper plated .22LR have less lead exposure than plain lead rounds? My daughter likes to load the magazines herself sometimes, or use the single shot bolt action.

 

[Boston-Irish]

other than the judgemental tone of the question she asked, she is an excellent doctor. My daughter had a food alergy when she was an infant that she (the doc) pinpoint diagnosed very quickly.
Not that it was any of her business, but I did explain to her that the guns are stored in a comercial sized vault in a room in the basement with a steel secirity door.
With hind sight being 20/20, ( and had I been ready to be blind-sided) I wished I had told her to keep her judgements and questions to herself. But then I always think of the best comebacks after the fact.
In another four months we will have another bundle of joy/tax deduction and will be ready should the question come up again.
Thanks for the input.

 

[Boston-Irish]

Would using the copper plated .22LR have less lead exposure than plain lead rounds? My daughter likes to load the magazines herself sometimes, or use the single shot bolt action.

My wife stopped shooting because she was pregnant and then nursing. Lead could be passed through the breast milk (we heard).
As far as the little ones are concerned, my good friend has his 10 yd old son wear surgical/laytex gloves when loading shooting. He then mopps his child down with baby wipes after to minimize lead exposure. He also uses the copper plated 22lr.

 

[icyclefar]

Would using the copper plated .22LR have less lead exposure than plain lead rounds? My daughter likes to load the magazines herself sometimes, or use the single shot bolt action.

I am not a Doctor, nor do I play one on TV, but it is my understanding that lead poisioning issues in children are almost exclusively caused through ingestion. I work in an environment where there is the potential for exposure to lead, and we have asked the question to many medical professionals, the answer has always been the same. Ingestion is the problem, if the lead gets on your hands, don't put the hands in your mouth.

I think as long as she is not sucking her fingers while loading magazines, and she washes her hands well after shooting then the threat becomes almost nill.

 

[Lynne]

Good heavens....

If anyone is asked this question - answer NO. First, it's none, and I repeat NONE of their damned business. 2nd - it's gets put in to a report and those numbers are usually used ... withdraw and rephrase.... TWISTED to use against us.

If they give it to you in the form of a questionaire - leave it blank. If they catch that, then mark it no.

 

[M1911]

If a doctor told me it was dangerous to have guns in the house, I'd ask the doc what training they have in firearm safety. "Are you a certified firearms instructor? Are you a certified range safety officer? Do you have 200 hours of formal firearms training? No? You don't? I do. So you are giving out advice on a topic for which you have no qualifications. Does your insurance company know that?"

 

[Biff Quizler]

Standby.....

Actually, the MD was doing her job. Primary care MD's are taught and encouraged to include preventative medicine questions in their interviews and yearly evaluations. Also relevent things are there stairs in the house, does she wear a helmet on a bike, proper car seat stuff, etc. Yes, I agree that it seems intrusive and none of their business. But..... they do have an interest in your child's health and as identified by many people on this thread health issues do go along with our sport. Unfortunately, the American Medical Assosciation and other doc groups suggest this line of questioning and leave it up to the MD to present it (i.e. choose their tone, eye rolling etc) and then react to answers. If the MD is doing their job they should be impartial and accept the answer that your child is safe. Perhaps their line of questioning will catch a person that has been hiding under a rock in our state and not securing their weapons/ammo adequately and save a tragedy or health issue that could be prevented. A simple yes/no to are they secured is all they should care about. When they ask for a map to your safe, it's time to worry!!!!!

 

[Jose]

Actually, the MD was doing her job. Primary care MD's are taught and encouraged to include preventative medicine questions in their interviews and yearly evaluations. Also relevent things are there stairs in the house, does she wear a helmet on a bike, proper car seat stuff, etc. Yes, I agree that it seems intrusive and none of their business. But..... they do have an interest in your child's health and as identified by many people on this thread health issues do go along with our sport. Unfortunately, the American Medical Assosciation and other doc groups suggest this line of questioning and leave it up to the MD to present it (i.e. choose their tone, eye rolling etc) and then react to answers. If the MD is doing their job they should be impartial and accept the answer that your child is safe. Perhaps their line of questioning will catch a person that has been hiding under a rock in our state and not securing their weapons/ammo adequately and save a tragedy or health issue that could be prevented. A simple yes/no to are they secured is all they should care about. When they ask for a map to your safe, it's time to worry!!!!!

I don't think you could be more wrong.

The job of MDs is to heal illness. Nothing more. Everything else is MY responsibility and my prerogative.

Nothing that goes in my house is any of the medical profession's business. I am the customer and I decide how far they go in any direction.

 

[Biff Quizler]

Other thoughts....

Jose,

I don't necessarily disagree with your perspective and thoughts on privacy, but do vouch for the legitimacy of the line of questioning within the medical world (been there, done that). I also believe what goes on inside my home is my business, but it may not be perfect and lifestyle improvements could be made.

I do disagree that the only job of MD's is to heal. Prevention and sharing medically related information is a HUGE issue within the medical world and there are actually assigned specialists/departments within the military regarding prevention. It is absolutely your choice to act as a prudent consumer and a) change providers or b) not provide the information.

As for nothing occuring in a person's house being their business, does that include knowledge of the medications that people are given from their chiropractor/heart specialist and the herbal supplements that all can affect the medications that they may prescribe? Or advising an elderly patient to remove the throw rugs/alter furniture to prevent a broken hip (that has a up to a 50% associated mortality rate within 1 year due to complications with recovery in the elderly) Or maybe advising/instructing testicular exams to look for the painless lumps that are most commonly found in 20-30 year old males (I would hope males) to prevent sterility or even death? Or another almost mandated screening question when people, especially females, go to ER's - questions to identify domestic abuse issues in order to put a halt on the cycles that have plagued and destroyed families for generations. Providers actually have a fair amount of insight into who we are/how we live, that's part of their jobs in order to best provide care to you.
(I throw these out as other examples of other probing, sensitive questions and NOT meant to be personal/relevant to you at all and no offense meant)

I have never heard of numbers being accumulated regarding "guns in house" and turned into anywhere. Might it happen? Perhaps.... Has anyone heard for sure?

PS our pediatrican asked as well and didn't react at all when the answer was yes.