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#1 | |
ONE
love, blood, life Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 12,689
Local Time: 03:57 AM
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Surgery to Stunt Girl's Growth Sparks Debate
Quote:
I can certainly see the benefits -- no periods, no chance of breast cancer (which apparently runs in the family), smaller size is easier to manage for her parents/caretakers -- and yet it makes me a bit queasy too. I can certainly see parents wanting to make sure they are able to care for their profoundly disabled child as they grow older because institutionalising is a wrenching choice as well. I know people in the (institutionalisation) biz and many of the tales they tell are harrowing. I tend to feel if by doing this type of surgery and treatment can prevent or at least delay (for a significant time) such institutionalisation and keep the child with their loving and caring family it's benefit outweighs the drawbacks. And yet I'm still uncomfortable with it. |
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#2 |
Blue Crack Addict
Join Date: Nov 2002
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Oops, sorry-I was posting mine before I ever read yours. Maybe a mod can delete mine.
__________________And I agree with what you said about the choices the parents are making so that they can care for her. One the one hand I trust that they only have her best interests at heart, on the other hand it is an uncomfortable thing. You wonder what it could possibly lead to, I remember that story last year about parents treating shortness in their (non disabled) kids as a disease. Someone posted this in another discussion I was reading about this topic Until there are real and consistent support systems for all parents of such children, I can't begin to judge the decisions they make. That certainly is one thing I don't want to do, put myself in the position of judging a parent of any disabled child. I can't even begin to imagine what it's like. |
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#3 |
ONE
love, blood, life Join Date: Jan 2004
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They were posted at exactly the same time!
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#4 |
Blue Crack Addict
Join Date: May 2002
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I approve of what these parents are doing. They are trying to give their child some normalcy in her life, something that can make her part of the family. I'm handicapped myself and the whole thing is hard. If you can make it any easier, do it.
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#5 |
Refugee
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: lincolnshire
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Local Time: 07:57 AM
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This report was on the BBC news the other night, the parents seem to be totally loving & caring of the poor child, so if they've chosen that as the best way forward, who am I to disagree.
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#6 |
Rock n' Roll Doggie
VIP PASS Join Date: May 2004
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Agreed with Indra, I can see why etc but it does make me a bit uncomfortable.
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#7 |
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I guess it's OK as long as the docs completely understand what they are doing. The hormone thing is what worries me most, but as long as they are in control and can all but guarantee no surprise complications, I suppose it's for the best.
I have heard of girls having mastectomies because of breast cancer scares. I saw a girl on TV who had all of her breast tissue removed at age 17 because every female on either side had breast cancer. Since she didn't want to be breast-less, she had synthetic implants put in, but apparently you can elect to have these things done. If there's no hope for the child to improve mentally and developmentally, then I suppose removing her reproductive organs will spare her much discomfort and additional health threats, as long as the surgeries are safe. If she's only developed to infancy, there's no point in trying to treat her like an adult. It's not fair to her and not her fault that she can't understand what would happen to her own body. |
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#8 |
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I think it is none of our business.
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#9 | |
Rock n' Roll Doggie
VIP PASS Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Waiting for this madness to end.
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Quote:
![]() I'm not in the family, I don't know what the child's needs and parents' needs are. |
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#10 | |
ONE
love, blood, life Join Date: Aug 2004
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Quote:
I can't imagine the effort needed to take care of a handicapped child but after thinking about this story for more than five minutes, I'm genuinely, absolutely disgusted at her parents. What kind of fucking precedent does this set? My god, that's the truly disturbing part. What kind of precedent does this set for future cases involving a child similarly handicapped, or even less handicapped? |
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#11 |
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Join Date: Mar 2001
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This is a US case and I'm not really sure how consent laws re: medical decisions work there. I think in Canada, it might be a bit iffy, because in the absence of the girl being able to express informed consent (clearly she lacks the capacity), her parents can consent for all these treatments but only so long as they are in her best interest.
I am not particularly convinced that all of this elective surgery (some of it serious and intrusive) is in the best interest of the child so much as it is in the best interest of the parents. Kind of a grey area. |
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#12 | |
Rock n' Roll Doggie
VIP PASS Join Date: Aug 2005
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Quote:
I agree with you, personally I do find it absurd and disgusting. But I don't know the family, I don't know what all was involved in taking care of their child. I know this may be a naive way of thinking, but I honestly prefer this over the parents simply doing away with their child. Either neglecting, not giving proper treatment, giving up for adoption, or even being left to die. Quite a few children born with disabilities are mistreated by their parents, simply because they are afraid and have no idea what to do. They do love their daughter, and given their limitations and hers, they wanted to do the best they could to continue to nurture her in their loving home. I'm sure this wasn't considered without consultation. Ashley has some significant developmental disabilities. When speaking of setting a precedent...how about turning the attention to social services? Perhaps she has some needs that could not be met? I know that the ADA and the Rehab Act really only goes so far to protect Americans with Disabilities, but there are often situations I've come across where we simply didn't have the resources that our students needed. But I can't say for sure with Ashley's family, I haven't really kept up with this story myself. I really don't know. Like I said, I don't agree with it, but it is the family's decision. I probably wouldn't have made the same choice, but I suppose it really isn't my place, since I am not in their situation. |
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#13 | |
Blue Crack Addict
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Quote:
As an adult woman, I can manage these things because 1) I understand them and basic hygiene is not an issue and 2) my sexuality and ability to reproduce is important to my life. This girl will never be able to understand these things, never enjoy the good things about having breasts and a uterus, and never be competent enough to practice proper hygiene. I don't have a problem with the motive, but like anitram said, these are pretty drastic and invasive surgeries that could be very risky for her. But I'm not a medical professional so I can't say whether the purpose for doing it outweighs the risks of possible complications. I guess I don't see how this is so much different than kids who ARE mentally fine but have physical disabilities so their parents subject them to painful surgeries and devices that crank their arms and legs longer, etc, so that they can be more "normal". |
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#14 |
ONE
love, blood, life Join Date: Oct 2005
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It sounds crazy at first, but you can't judge parents who are in that type of situation with their child. I couldn't even begin to imagine it. It is one of parents worst nightmares.
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#15 | |
Rock n' Roll Doggie
VIP PASS Join Date: May 2004
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#16 | |
Refugee
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: St Andrews NSW Australia
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#17 | |
Refugee
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#18 |
Blue Crack Addict
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Obviously not the same situations, and I don't want this to turn into another thread about her-but how come nobody seemed to say that Terri Schiavo was nobody's business, on both sides of the issue?
Aren't they both situations revolving around questions about ethics and quality of life and caregiving ? Again, I'm not saying they are comparable in other aspects. |
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#19 | |
Blue Crack Addict
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Quote:
I don't really know how to feel in the case of this child. I don't know enough about medicine or caring for the disabled to make any sort of informed opinion. To me, the surgeries seem really drastic, painful, and invasive, but I don't understand enough about her condition or her family's health history to start saying her parents are evil. This child can't even sit and has the brain of a baby. I can't imagine what it's like caring for someone like that, so I think it's quite rude to be passing judgment. |
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#20 |
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OK, they did it to put some normalcy in their lives--as parents. But this child is never going to have an adult life, and taking out her uterus and breasts is going to make it easier for them to manage her. As a handicapped person myself, I understand that this stuff is not an individual case, it is a family case. You have to make things manageable for the parents. That's an issue that must be addressed. I'm sorry, I have to disagree with you about the rightness of this surgery. I think it's completely justifiable.
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