The ethics of medical intervention in the case of extremely premature babies and in the case of children with severe disabilities was the issue studied for the Issue Analysis. A range of texts including magazine and newspaper articles, journals, websites, documentaries and a blog were utilized. Through group discussions, individual research, reading, highlighting and note taking, information was gathered and opinions were formed.
The ethics of medical intervention with children with severe disabilities was the focus I elected for this report because the variety of articles incorporated opinions of doctors and parents which challenged my view. I was particularly interested in the controversy surrounding the ‘Ashley Treatment’ whereby her parents …show more content…
Some people argued that the intervention was inappropriate because it was against nature. Others claimed that the treatment could result in side effects as well as further health risks including osteoporosis and heart disease. Some doctors suggested that her parents maimed their child for convenience sake. Arguments associated with Ashley’s rights were also raised.
Conversely, others such as Ashley’s parents and parents of other disabled children argued that the ‘Ashley Treatment’ would help mitigate challenges such as discomfort and boredom. Attenuating her growth meant she could be moved around more easily which would benefit her health and well being. Furthermore, she would be less prone to infections and free from menstrual cramps, possible pregnancies and uterine cancer. The breast bud removal would avoid the possibility of painful fibrocystic growth, breast cancer and future related surgeries.
The issue was presented in different ways in different texts. Texts such as Ashley’s parents’ blog were intended to persuade the general public as to the necessity of the treatment and therefore used emotive language and few technical terms to present their perspective on the issue. Journals, which were intended for medical students and doctors, gave me a deeper understanding of the medical side of the issue despite their highly technical
The ethics of medical intervention with children with severe disabilities was the focus I elected for this report because the variety of articles incorporated opinions of doctors and parents which challenged my view. I was particularly interested in the controversy surrounding the ‘Ashley Treatment’ whereby her parents …show more content…
Some people argued that the intervention was inappropriate because it was against nature. Others claimed that the treatment could result in side effects as well as further health risks including osteoporosis and heart disease. Some doctors suggested that her parents maimed their child for convenience sake. Arguments associated with Ashley’s rights were also raised.
Conversely, others such as Ashley’s parents and parents of other disabled children argued that the ‘Ashley Treatment’ would help mitigate challenges such as discomfort and boredom. Attenuating her growth meant she could be moved around more easily which would benefit her health and well being. Furthermore, she would be less prone to infections and free from menstrual cramps, possible pregnancies and uterine cancer. The breast bud removal would avoid the possibility of painful fibrocystic growth, breast cancer and future related surgeries.
The issue was presented in different ways in different texts. Texts such as Ashley’s parents’ blog were intended to persuade the general public as to the necessity of the treatment and therefore used emotive language and few technical terms to present their perspective on the issue. Journals, which were intended for medical students and doctors, gave me a deeper understanding of the medical side of the issue despite their highly technical