Little Ashley is the 9 year old in Seattle who is severely mentally and physically handicapped. She is said to have developed up to the age of a 3 month old baby, in a 9 years olds body. Her parents decided to have her growth curtailed and that she be given a hysterectomy and treatment to prevent puberty.
I have to say I can see the parents' and medics' point of view on this. Either we provide the services necessary (at great expense - life-long round the clock care), OR we allow these modifications to take place to enable some sort of quality of life (eg prevention of bed-sores), OR we take no heroic efforts to keep such severely handicapped people alive. It is Society's choice. Society (as embodied in our politicians) won't make a choice so it is down to the individual family to make it.
I have to say I can see the parents' and medics' point of view on this. Either we provide the services necessary (at great expense - life-long round the clock care), OR we allow these modifications to take place to enable some sort of quality of life (eg prevention of bed-sores), OR we take no heroic efforts to keep such severely handicapped people alive. It is Society's choice. Society (as embodied in our politicians) won't make a choice so it is down to the individual family to make it.