Skip to main content
Skip to main navigation
Skip to talk navigation

Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Saved Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Flip

1 2

AIBU?

..to sign my daughter up to organ donor register without discussing with her?

31 replies

newfashionedmum · 01/02/2013 16:14

She is 7 and we were given a from by GP, her dad and i thought it was a good idea to put her on it - we both are - but we haven't asked her about it and i feel slightly uncomfortable about that. On the other hand, she's quite an anxious child and I don't like the idea of having a conversation with her about it, at least for a couple of years.

What do you lot think or have you done, or how have you broached this with your children?

OP posts:

Report

Crinkle77 · 01/02/2013 16:18

At the age of 7 I think she is far too young to understand the enormity of it all. Plus you don't want to frighten her by telling her what might happen if she dies.

VacantExpression · 01/02/2013 16:19

Mine are younger than your DD but i probably wouldn't discuss it until she would understand it fully without making her anxious. I didn't know you could sign kids up i will ask in my surgery and will definitely put mine on it x

Lovelygoldboots · 01/02/2013 16:20

I don't think you should talk to her about it at this age. I can't imagine she will understand although signing her on to it I feel is s good thing and not something I had considered for my own children even though I have done it myself. Hard to think about.

Souper · 01/02/2013 16:21

You don't need to put her on the register. If (god forbid) anything happened to her you are her next of kin and would be approached by the staff at the hospital if they thought her organs were suitable for donation. So you would just give your consent for organ donation then. No need to be on the register or carry a card or anything.

Birdsgottafly · 01/02/2013 16:22

She is to young to discuss this with, tbh, she won't fully grasp the issues, to make an informed decision.

It might put in her mind that she could die, why take the risk.

You would still have to make that decision, if the need arose (hopefully not).

Why unnecessarily worry her.

These subjects shouldn't be discussed until around 10 and later depending on the child, unless the child is faced with an illness, then the hospitalhelps with the explanantions.

It would be cruel to even involve an anxious child with something that may never happen.

BigBoobiedBertha · 01/02/2013 16:23

I probably wouldn't have told my DC because it is difficult to understand and hopefully, almost certainly, it will never be an issue. I can see why you might feel that you should though. It might be worth having a general conversation to see if she understands the concepts and to see whether she would volunteer to register. However, it could be that it is too much to get her head around.

The way I look at it, mine aren't on the register (nobody has ever suggested it) but if something should happen to them and donation was a possibility, it would be up to me and DH to make the decision, not them. I don't see as making that decision up front by registering is any different. Whilst they are children it is the parent's choice certainly at the age of 7.

CailinDana · 01/02/2013 16:26

It would you be your decision anyway should that awful situation arise. I suppose in the case where you all died (sorry for the horrible thought!) they would be able to refer to the register. Just be sure you let her know at some stage - she might be upset as a teenager to know she's signed up without her permission. For the time being though I think it's fine to consider it a decision you need to take on her behalf.

Jenny70 · 01/02/2013 16:26

Why put her on the register? Surely they would never harvest organs without your consent - so if for any reason you were uncontactable or incapacitated they wouldn't just go ahead...

I guess it shows your intent, so if you were to die/coma at the time, her next relative will know your wishes.

I wonder if her name stays on into adulthood? If so, I wouldn't register her - you can still donate if that sad circumstance happened, but not have her on a register for life that she may not realise she's on.

On balance I wouldn't register her ... and she is way too young to make this decision for herself.

firesidechat · 01/02/2013 16:26

I do't think you really should discuss it with her. She is far too young to make any sort of informed decision on this.

Also age 7 is about the time that the concept of death and losing loved ones can be a very distressing thought. I remember my brother worrying about his family dying when he was about that age. We had tears and everything. She doesn't need to be bothered and as a minor it would be up to you to make those choices about her being an organ donor.

The time for a discussion is in a few years, but not sure when to be honest.

SomeKindOfDeliciousBiscuit · 01/02/2013 16:26

I don't think you should put her on the register. I would have understood at 7 (not making outrageous claims here, am an Aspie who watched the news and asked questions from 4) and started making judgments about my own body - haircut, washing etc around then. Had I not been able to understand I think I would still be outraged at someone having given their permission for my internal organs to be used.

So if you can't discuss it, just leave it.

supergreenuk · 01/02/2013 16:28

I agree. You shouldn't need to add her as you would be required to make the decision at the time anyway.

ravenAK · 01/02/2013 16:33

Mine are all registered.

It would be my & dh's decision anyway in the event of a death, & we'd agree, so it seems sensible to make the 'paperwork' bit of the process as straightforward as it can be.

I've had the discussion with ds, who's 8, because a family acquaintance had a transplant & obviously he asked where the organs come from. I told him, & explained that he & the dds were on the register but I'd gladly remove any of them if they wanted.

Ds shrugged & said it was fine.

But I think that's different from me actually raising the subject as a decision ds had to make - that would probably have freaked him out a little.

I'd just make a decision about registering them (either way) & wait for it to come up in conversation tbh.

FriedSprout · 01/02/2013 16:35

I wouldn't. If they would ask you in a hospital situation anyway I can't see the requirement.

Out of interest, if you had a general chat about the use of donor organs and she did not like the idea, would you not put her name on the list? Or refuse the use in a hospital situation?

Regardless, I certainly would not be telling her you have done so at her age.

OutragedFromLeeds · 01/02/2013 16:40

I've discussed organ donation with my DC's, they were much younger, I think about 4 and 5, but it came up in conversation (I can't remember why) and it was more of an abstract conversation, rather than 'do you mind dontaing your heart if you die?'.

They were very interested in it and it was a topic we came back to a lot. They wanted to know which organs they could donate while they were still alive and which ones you needed to be dead to donate. I think they were probably too young to really understand it, so it didn't worry them. They were mostly concerned about if it would hurt when they took the organs out.

I wouldn't bring it up with her and certainly not in the context of her own death. It's up to you to decide what happens to her organs anyway whether she is on a register or not.

ethelb · 01/02/2013 16:46

You can't sign some one up without their consent and you can't be on the register under the age of 16. Plus you would decide what would happen in that situation anyway.

PurpleFrog · 01/02/2013 16:56

We filled out forms a couple of years ago and dd (who is 15 now) was able to do her own one. Maybe the rules are different here in Scotland?

TheYamiOfYawn · 01/02/2013 17:02

You can be on the register at under 18 - both my children (6 and 3) are registered. I have discussed it with them, but this is because a very close family friend had a transplant, so organ donation is something that we talk about quite a lot.

Maryz · 01/02/2013 17:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

QueenAmidala · 01/02/2013 17:05

I talked about it with my son (he is 8) and he wanted to go on the register, so he is. He is a pretty straightforward child though, if caught in the right sort of mood, so he asked a couple of questions and then I left it up to him.

HoratiaWinwood · 01/02/2013 17:13

Ethel, you can and I have. Both my DCs are on the register.

You could wait until there is a story in the news, particularly the local news, about a successful transplant, and point it out as a Very Good Thing and how you yourself are on the register ... and just see how it goes.

Nobody consents to a standard transplant - the dead can't consent. So if you would be consenting on her behalf anyway I don't get the argument that it's using organs without their consent.

If she (or anyone else) expresses a desire not to donate under any circumstances, that's a different matter. But that hasn't happened.

RevoltingPeasant · 01/02/2013 17:15

I think you know your DD best.

I grew up in an environment of hospitals and sick children - and also saw that Monty Python sketch where they come for his liver or whatever whilst he's still alive at a young age! This discussion wouldn't have bothered me, nor my friend's 4yo who is always on about where people go when they die, etc, in a totally matter of fact way.

But if it would make DD anxious, wait until later. If you can put her on the register to save a horrible, horrible conversation in the future, in unbelievably distressing circumstances, why not?

Viviennemary · 01/02/2013 17:19

No I wouldn't personally. And I most certainly would not discuss it with a seven year old. She will be imagining the worst and will be scared to death. But that is only my opinion. But I think if a child sees something on TV and suggests it then that is different.

lustybusty · 01/02/2013 17:19

I believe I've been on the register from birth, found out about aged 5 or 6 when discussing a family friend (couple of years older than me) varied and many illnesses/disabilities, and signing and carrying my own card since the age of 10-11. I personally think you SHOULD put your child on-if she is too young for you to have the discussion with (I was a precocious brat...still am on occasion), she is too young to make the decision, therefore it is your decision to make. As/when you feel she is ready to make the decision, you make her aware of what you did, and allow her to choose

lustybusty · 01/02/2013 17:22

Should possibly also point out that at the age of 10-11 I asked mum "but mum, if I'm dead, and don't need my organs any more, why do I have to give permission for them to be taken? Wouldn't it be better to have to say you DON'T want to donate, rather than saying you DO?"

oldebaglady · 01/02/2013 17:26

The register doesn't do anything but tell the NOK about how the person felt about organ donation. the decision is still the NOK's. So what is the point of putting her on it? it doesn't tell you anything about her feelings if she dies, and if she dies on or not on the register you will be asked about organ donation.. unless I suppose the whole family dies and the NOK passes down to someone in the more extended family

Flip

1 2

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.