siddster's Journal: Ethics of Ashley X or how some ethicist's are total idiots

From the article:

"THE case of a severely mentally and physically disabled girl whose parents have stunted her growth so she remains a manageable and more portable size has divided medical ethicists...She has a severe brain impairment known as static encephalopathy and cannot walk, talk, keep her head up in bed or even swallow food." University of Pennsylvania ethicist Art Caplan said the case was troubling and reflected "slippery slope" thinking among parents who believe "the way to deal with my kid with permanent behavioural problems is to put them into permanent childhood".

Static encephalopathy is NOT a behavioural problem! She's never going to get better or even be able to take care of yourself. This will at least let her primary caregivers take good care of her. It's easy to sit up on your high chair and pontificate on the ethical nature of these things, but how many people truly know what it entails to keep a child like this alive.