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Helping families care for the helpless
Bioethicists who work in health care are frequently called upon to make difficult decisions in often less than desirable situations. Thankfully, the steady introduction of new technologies provide ethicists, health practitioners and families with a variety of options. The trick these days is to choose the most desirable course of action. But the fact that most new technologies and the manner in which they are applied often appear shocking and radical at the outset makes ethical decisions even more difficult.
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Posted by Steven_Malaysia on 01/12 at 10:57 PM
Dear George,
Nothing is right or wrong. All one can do is to remain and let nature takes it course.
I am a pwd myself and in my course of time I have seen many like what Asley and her parents and what they are going through.
Unlike Asley and her parents, those that I know of are from Third World country where the standard as far as healthcare is concern is worse than that in the US. But, yet people, like Asley and her parents, managed to go through, as nothing is impossible, if we truly believe better time is coming.
With stem cell technology just knocking outside the door, it won't be long before some solution is found to help Asley. Don't interfer with her natural growth or she will conderm her parents for ever.
Don't stop her growth. Let her grow naturally into what God want her to be like.
She is truly beautiful and I can't imagine what she would look like when she grow older with a stunt body.
With latest gadjet, in lifting an adult and on Independence Living concept so well in place in the US, why should Asley's parents worry.
It is in every parents dream that their children will always remain that sweet, innocent look, but nature doesn't work like this, eventually Asley will grow old and God knows what she may look like.
George, do pass this message to Asley's parents.
What ever their motive is, anything apart from natural will be devasting for Asleys. They won't be around to see her suffering from their decision.
Posted by Sappho on 01/17 at 11:04 AM
Euthanizing disabled newborns is utterly unethical and should not be considered under any circumstances. Thanks to ultrasound, we generally know if a baby is going to be born with a major disability, so abortion is always an option. Once a baby is born, you don't get to kill him or her.
Spina bifida is just about gone, thanks to the addition of B vitamins to flour. My friend Andy has spina bifida and is happy to be alive, thank you very much. I have to wonder if this isn't about National Health trying to save money over the lifespan of the person with disabilities, by ending that person's life at the very beginning.
Posted by katiertucker on 03/08 at 07:43 PM
George,
It's like you said in your article, we are a long way off from having a cure, or anything resembling such for these kinds of disabilities, and even with the new stem cell technologies that are emerging every day, it will still be a while before the jury comes back on whether or not it is ethical. I'm sure you know more about that then I do. I agree that the parents are fueling this discusion and ultimately it is their descisions that have prevailed. Whether or not people agree, at least now this young girl can stay in the loving environment that she knows, and her parents can continue to care for her without to many hardships.
Posted by Ellen on 03/12 at 12:04 AM
Mr. Dvorsky,
I recently had the privilege to read your article as a class assignment. I normally don't say this but, I was actually excited about delving into this topic. Yet, perhaps even more excited, no, better yet, relieved that I was assigned to an author that shared my viewpoint on the "Ashley X" procedure. Through such a controversial topic, I had a hard time figuring out my own stance. So many questions were flying through my head like, is this ethical at all? Did the parents jump into this decision too soon? And lastly, how do you measure her cognitive state? Would she want this? Yet, after reading your article, it confirmed my initial reactions. At first glance, this act is heinous. But, the more one thinks about it, I would have to agree with you, it makes a lot of sense. Or, as much sense as you can make out of the matter.
Thank you.
Posted by colie on 03/12 at 11:53 PM
George,
Much like you when you first heard of the operations that were being preformed, I too was skeptical. The idea of performing such drastic procedures on a little girl who can not voice her opinion seemed unethical. But after more information on the subject and her condition of living I reached a better understanding of the situation and how her growth will affect her as well as her parent's ability to provide adequate care for her. I believe the parent's decision was in the best interest of their child.
Posted by satish kumar shu on 04/21 at 05:00 AM
sir i m going to take part in a debate compitition and my topic is"girl can better take care of parents" i haveto speake on it.and i dont have any deep information about it. plz give me some info about it.
Posted by Enzara on 11/13 at 03:09 AM
Thanks to the addition of B vitamins to flour. My friend Andy has spina bifida and is happy to be alive, thank you very much. I have to wonder if this isn't about National Health trying to save money over the lifespan of the person with disabilities, by ending that person's life at the very beginning. www.destinol.com
Posted by Mikela on 11/16 at 08:46 PM
I'm honestly in favor of euthanasia. Ashley's case would certainly qualify in my book.
I don't think it makes sense (ethical, emotional, financial, psychological, etc.) to keep this child alive who has no cognition whatsoever at the expense of the entire family. There are brothers and sisters whose lives are altered significantly and unfavorably due to the needs of the one child who demands the bulk of her parents time and attention. Worse still, Ashley is no better off for that attention. It's time wasted.
Further, when Ashley's parents die, who will care for Ashley? Her siblings? Probably not - it's not even fair to ask it of them. Tax payers, that's who. Ashley will cost the government tens of millions of dollars before she leaves this earth yet her life was of no consequence to her, of no benefit to herself, of no interest, of no joy, of no anything but to cause pain, financial burden, time, effort and energy to a family and a society.
No, I don't hate the disabled - far from it. But I don't consider Ashley disabled; I consider her a body without a brain. It's unfathomable to me why we would keep the body alive, given the enormous drain.
Posted by veronica on 11/17 at 01:49 AM
"There are brothers and sisters whose lives are altered significantly and unfavorably due to the needs of the one child who demands the bulk of her parents time and attention. "
Mikela, you REALLY need to spend some time talking with siblings of children who are severely disabled. I guarantee you that your opinion will flip 180 degrees.
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