Brain damaged girl will never grow
This post was published 3 years 2 months 17 days ago which may make its actuality or expire date not be valid anymore. This site is not responsible for any misunderstanding.A young girl who suffers from a brain impairment known as static encephalopathy will never grow up. However, it is not the brain damage that is preventing her from maturing, it is the decision by her two parents. A decision to permanently stunt her growth keep the impaired child a small child for the rest of her life.
The reason for the controversy is this: three years ago, when Ashley began to display early signs of puberty, her parents instructed doctors to remove her uterus, appendix and still-forming breasts, then treat her with high doses of oestrogen to stunt her growth. [...] Because of her small size, the parents say, Ashley will receive more care from people who will be able to carry her: “Ashley will be moved and taken on trips more frequently and will have more exposure to activities and social gatherings … instead of lying down in her bed staring at TV all day long.”
Share your thoughts in the comments. Ethical? Morally acceptable?
UPDATE: Ashley’s Blog – Maintained by her parents.
I heard about this on the radio… two different hosts had opposite opinions on the subject. I think it makes sense. The parents want to keep her home with them, but how are they going to lug around a grown adult woman when they are starting to get up there in years.
For those critical of the situation, I think maybe you should try being in their position for a day.
“Because Ashley was expected to have a large chest size, her parents say that removing her breast buds”
Honestly I think that speaks for itself… I doubt her boobs could be any larger than that chick’s on Dog the Bounty Hunter anyway.
Unfortunately I don’t think this girl will ever be able to thoroughly enjoy any “social gatherings” from what her parents have done to her. Personally I don’t think that they have any right to impose their decisions on another human being–it’s her life, not theirs.
I think you’re kinda missing the point that the brain disorder was ultimately going to be what caused her to never grow up. From the article,
“Afflicted with a severe brain impairment known as static encephalopathy, she cannot walk, talk, keep her head up in bed or even swallow food.”
So obviously, she didn’t have much of a life ahead of her, its not like one day she was destined to graduate magne cum laude from Yale, the next, she was seriously debilitated.
I dont even really know how to feel about this, i mean, the parents obviously wanted to act in her best interests, but this is a little extreme. I don’t see the medical backing to these procedures, meaning, I don’t see how these procedures could be defended by the hospital and allowed. These surgeries did not treat any existing injuries or physical issues, were not done out of necessity, and are not done for any medically plausible reason whatsoever. Thats a serious violation of medical morals, but, I really don’t see how the doctors involved can justify this.
“Personally I don’t think that they have any right to impose their decisions on another human being–it’s her life, not theirs.”
This is why kids today are so screwed up, this notion that parents shouldn’t have power. Shes a child, with a serious mental handicap no less, and she can’t communicate her personal morals to anyone else, for both physical and mental reasons. So in this case, that statement really is silly. But in the general sense, no, kids are not smart, they make poor decisions, and have no ability to survive on their own without the parents help. Parents have to take the hard line with their kids, teach them how to live a socially responsible life, and punish them when they screw up. When you don’t, you get a generation of stupid, irresponsible brats like we have right now, brought to life by the preceding non-parent generation.
Andrew: The beings of generations are considered “stupid and irresponsible brats” while they are children but grow up into the greatest thinkers. Here and there are sprinkles of intelligence. It’s ignorant to call an entire generation stupid and irresponsible.
Andrew: Kids should learn through their own process and mistakes. Brats are made from their parents. Obviously parents do have control over their children to some degree but in my opinion they should never make a decision like this that so immensely affects a life.
hmmm. interesting. My first thought was to be disgusted by the idea, however, I read the article, the responses, and I think i’ll have to reconsider. I think that I have to side with the parents on this one. And Andrew, I completely agree. The idea that parents should not discipline/power over their children is preposterous. Children aren’t born able to survive in the world. They need to be taught how to function. Parent’s not only should be able to, but should be required to discipline their child when needed.
“chick’s on Dog the Bounty Hunter anyway”
we aren’t really getting this opinion from the shining example of human advancement are we?
Jeremy you are not correct at all.. first of all the “chick on dog the bounty hunter” can stand right? and speak? so comparing this girls boobs to hers is dumb. This girl would never be able to control her body the only way to transport her is by carrying her. I’d say stunting her growth is a pretty good idea considering the fact that it makes her MUCH less of a burdon on those who will be able to show her things outside of her bed.
For the record though I can’t understand how this is legal or medically sound. But i agree that its definately in the best interests of the girl.
I think that all of you are forgetting that this disorder is caused by FAS – FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME!! Her parents have two other children that are perfectly fine and just becuase the ingorant and irresponsible mother permanently damaged her poor daughter now gets to make her own life more comfortable at her daughters expense again?? Come on give me a break. I am a mother of 3 and I do not think that it is ok to alter anything on a child that does not have absolute medical necessity. But that’s just me I guess. I think that the parents shouldn’t even be able to raise her anyway, I mean think about it whether she would have gotten “big” or not they are still going to put her in a home when she gets older becuase she has a terminal illness. Why do this to her if she is going to die anyway. Why not jsut make her the best that she was born capapble to be. Now we will never know. Miracles happen everyday, but it’s not becuase we make them happen.
I am the mother of a severely disable child. My son has a multitude of medical problems; uncontrolled seizures, hydrocephalus, central hypoventilation, chronic lung infections, respiratory failure, ventilator dependent, atrial septic defect (heart), quadriparesis, musculoskeletal scoliosis, dislocated hips, hypothyroidism, hypokelemia (low potassium), kidney stones and is legally blind. He has a trach, g-tube, shunt, and IV port. At this time he has 13 doctors, is on 20 different medications, and requires 10 respiratory treatments per day. He has no suck, swallow, cough sneeze or gag reflex. His airway is suctioned upwards of 400 times per month. He can not move on his own and has to be repositioned every 1.5 to 2 hours. His room is basically a pediatric intensive care unit. He weighs approx. 70 pounds, and in almost 7 years has never had 1 bed sore. I thoroughly understand what Ashely’s parents deal with on a daily basis. Having said all that, I just can’t agree with their treatment plan. They say that by doing the “Ashley Treatment”, it is medically the best treatment for her quality of life and it will help ease her discomfort down the road. That by doing this treatment, it is not for their convenience. But then they state that by keeping her small, it will be easier to care for her and they will be able keep her home. Which reason is it? Some of the problems they list as a reason for doing this are minor and are not life threatening. Menstrual cycles can be controlled and fibroid cysts of the breasts (IF it ever happened) can also be dealt with when the time came. I just don’t think such a radical and drastic treatment could be justified because of the WHAT IFS. There are too many what ifs in our life, but we take each day at a time and get through each crisis as they come. All we can do (all any of us with special needs children can do) is to love them, advocate for them, and do what best for them, not us. At 70 pounds or a 170 pounds, I would still take care of my son to the best of my ability here at home, and not subject him to any treatment that was not life sustaining or life saving. Darren asked the question, “how do you lug around an adult woman?” The answer is simple, you just do it out of love for your child. And Darren is right, it is hard to empathetically form an opion without living this life for yourself. I am not trying to be critical or condemn them for their plan of care, I am just saying that I would not go to the extreme they have and I don’t agree with it. Thank you for listening.