...explicitly formulated arguments. The main topic of the January 22nd lecture was Ashley’s case. Ashley was a girl who was born with low mental capacity. Her condition made her family concerned that they wouldn’t have been able to take care of her if she continued to grow at such a rapid rate. In response to this concern, Ashley’s family gave her a high dose of estrogen to limit her growth. They had Ashley undergo a hysterectomy as well as have her breast buds removed. The way Ashley’s parents handled her condition raises a serious moral question of right and wrong. Were Ashley’s parents right to do what they did and was it even their decision to make in the first place; or was what they did wrong for mutilating Ashley’s body when she had no say in the matter? You could argue for Ashley’s parents and the decision to give Ashley the surgeries by saying that they are Ashley’s legal guardians, and that means they know what is best for her. You could also say the surgeries would make taking care of Ashley easier for the parents as well as make life easier for Ashley by making her body consistent with her mental abilities. The decision to have the surgery was also approved by the hospital’s ethics board which has a duty to not approve unethical procedures. You could also argue that the decision Ashley’s parents made to give her the surgeries was morally wrong. Some might say that the decision to keep Ashley’s body small didn’t benefit Ashley at all, but rather was entirely beneficial...
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...The Ashley Treatment has been, and still remains, controversial. A statement written by Ashley’s mom and dad stated that “Ashley had a normal birth, but her mental and motor faculties did not develop. Over the years, neurologists, geneticists, and other specialists conducted every known traditional and experimental test, but still could not determine a diagnosis or a cause. Doctor’s call her condition ‘static encephalopathy of unknown etiology’, which means an insult to the brain of unknown origin or cause, and one that will not improve.” The “The Ashley Treatment” is now a generic phrase coined in the health profession that refers to growth-stunting procedures for children with severe disabilities. This name was given in reference to a collection of medical procedures done for the improvement of Ashley’s quality of life. The treatment includes growth attenuation through high-dose estrogen therapy, hysterectomy to eliminate the menstrual cycle and associated discomfort to Ashley, and breast bud removal to avoid the development of large breasts and the associated discomfort to Ashley. The combination of the surgery and the estrogen therapy attracted a ton of public attention and ethical analysis in early 2007, both supportive and judging. The parents state that they sought such treatment for the best interests of their daughter, namely, to enable them to personally continue constant care for her at home; to maximize her inclusion in family activities; to avoid the cramps and...
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...Shaping Parental Authority over Children’s Bodies ALICIA OUELLETTE* INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................... 956 I. SCULPTING, SHAPING, AND SIZING CHILDREN: FOCUS CASES.............................. 959 A. WESTERNIZING ASIAN EYES..................................................................... 960 B. HORMONES FOR STATURE ........................................................................ 961 C. LIPOSUCTION ON A TWELVE YEAR OLD.................................................... 963 D. GROWTH STUNTING ................................................................................. 964 II. THE LAW, MEDICINE, PARENTAL RIGHTS, AND CHILDREN’S BODIES ................. 966 A. BACKGROUND LAW ................................................................................. 966 B. APPLICATION IN SHAPING CASES .............................................................. 969 C. ROOM FOR REGULATION .......................................................................... 971 III. WHAT IS REALLY WRONG WITH MEDICAL AND SURGICAL SHAPING OF CHILDREN? ............................................................................................................ 973 A. THE NONSUBORDINATION PRINCIPLE AS A LIMIT ON INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS 974 B. CHILDREN AS PERSONS, PARENTAL RIGHTS ............................................. 977 C. MEDICAL AND SURGICAL SHAPING OF CHILDREN IS DIFFERENT ............... 981 IV. CONCERNING...
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