Parents lose custody of son after stopping chemo

A couple in the US has lost custody of their child after ceasing conventional cancer treatment.

Joshua McAdams and Taylor Bland-Ball from Florida ceased chemotherapy for their son Noah, three, who has acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. They instead opted to try treating him themselves, using marijuana-infused oil and other natural therapies.

After the couple skipped their son's appointment on Monday, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office was contacted and pair tracked down in Kentucky.

The boy was removed from their care and the couple may face child endangerment charges.

The parents claim their son wasn't responding well to chemotherapy, saying he was having "vicious mood swings" and was "violent" and "very emotional" as a result of the treatment.

"He also started to lose his hair right away after the first treatment," Ms Bland-Ball told KTRK news.

The child has been returned to hospital and is in the care of his maternal grandparents.

The toddler's parents plan to take legal action to win the right to treat Noah using "alternative therapies".

"This is not about whether we’re choosing alternative therapies, natural therapies," Bland-Ball told KTRK.