'Peter Pan' surgery morally acceptable?

Mrs Behavin

Mrs Behavin

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Surgery to stunt girl's growth sparks debate - Kids & Parenting - MSNBC.com

Surgery to stunt girl’s growth sparks debate
Parents say drastic treatment allows them to take better care of their child

In a case fraught with ethical questions, the parents of a severely mentally and physically disabled child have stunted her growth to keep their little “pillow angel” a manageable and more portable size.

The bedridden 9-year-old girl had her uterus and breast tissue removed at a Seattle hospital and received large doses of hormones to halt her growth. She is now 4-foot-5; her parents say she would otherwise probably reach a normal 5-foot-6.
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I find this an absolutely perverse thing to do on the parent's part. They think that caring for their daughter includes removing sexual tissue and giving her hormones to not even allow her to go through puberty?! Not grow up and die old like any other human has the right to? Live as some grotesque example of how sick and deluded some people can be?

If the parents are so pathetic that they don't want to care for their child as a normal, human being, and think that pumping her full of hormones and surgically shorting her limbs will HELP her in any manner, they need to get their heads checked. Parents like those ones shouldn't be allowed to keep thier disabled child, if they would do such horrible things to her for the sake of practicality.

Abortion is one thing, but this one just obliterates where I draw my ethical lines.

Comments?
 
I saw this story on the news and you saw that the parents do care for her very much. Their daughter is severly retarded and will never live a normal life. She must be taken care of for the rest of her life. She can't sit up, she can't even roll over on her own. One of the reasons for removing her breast tissue is the fact that breast cancer runs in the family and the likelyhood of her getting it is very high. I had the same reaction that you had when I first heard of the story, but after hearing the parents side and that of the doctors, I agree with their decision. They will be able to care for her better if she doesn't get much bigger. Giving her showers and dressing her will be easier. The doctors also said that it will greatly reduce the risk that she will get bed sores.
 
RecklessTim said:
I saw this story on the news and you saw that the parents do care for her very much. Their daughter is severly retarded and will never live a normal life. She must be taken care of for the rest of her life. She can't sit up, she can't even roll over on her own. One of the reasons for removing her breast tissue is the fact that breast cancer runs in the family and the likelyhood of her getting it is very high. I had the same reaction that you had when I first heard of the story, but after hearing the parents side and that of the doctors, I agree with their decision. They will be able to care for her better if she doesn't get much bigger. Giving her showers and dressing her will be easier. The doctors also said that it will greatly reduce the risk that she will get bed sores.
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When I first heard about I also kinda thought it was wrong. However, I read others' debate that it would help them care for her better, etc, much the same as Tim here as explained.
 
I admire their choices, mainly because they toiled so hard over their decisions. You do realize that this was never a snap decision. They said it took upwards of a couple years to make up this plan and implement it. No one can possibly understand what these parents are going through. They should never be judged by people who have never had to deal with this situation. Sure, they've gotten comments from people who have disabled children, but none of the other people have had disabled children who had the mentality of a 6-month old for the rest of their lives...
 
Peter Parka said:
Seem to remeber reading about this kind of thing being done 60 odd years ago. Thats right, the nazis used to do it in pursuit of an ayrian race!:(
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:confused

Sorry to say I actually find that a bit offensive. Comparing what unforgivable things the Nazis did to a couple trying to take care of their severely mentally challenged child is a pretty far strech, let alone a low blow at best.

Parents like those ones shouldn't be allowed to keep thier disabled child, if they would do such horrible things to her for the sake of practicality.
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You know, it never hurts to read the whole story before going to an extreme opinion on these things

Please do some research before you comment.
 
how so? The Nazis killed millions of jews, and performed twisted scientific experiments on others, just to see what would happen. They didn't have any sort of reason for any such experiments, other than mutilation and perhaps research toward their own military. Sure, you can skew the reasoning to make it sound however you want, but come on, do you really think the parents are lying about their intent for fun? They've obviously thought about it for a long time, and they have had to live with it. If they can, why can't others?
 
Reaver said:
how so? The Nazis killed millions of jews, and performed twisted scientific experiments on others, just to see what would happen. They didn't have any sort of reason for any such experiments, other than mutilation and perhaps research toward their own military. Sure, you can skew the reasoning to make it sound however you want, but come on, do you really think the parents are lying about their intent for fun? They've obviously thought about it for a long time, and they have had to live with it. If they can, why can't others?
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I was only talking about the stunting growth thing.
They both fall under the same category because they both have to do with stunting peoples growth. Yeesh.
 
Reaver said:
:confused
You know, it never hurts to read the whole story before going to an extreme opinion on these things

Please do some research before you comment.
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Ummm....I did read the WHOLE story. Im the one who made the thread about it. And I usually read a story before I post it. Im entitled to my opinion about it thats why its in the Debate section.
 
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