View Single Post
Old 05-13-2008, 09:57 AM   #10
CaptainCrunch
Norm!
 
CaptainCrunch's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Exp:
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by FireFly View Post
But it's not just the child, his parents agreed.

I think perhaps that's the most unfortunate part... if the parents would rather let him live 6 months than continue to have hope for a full recovery. However, I don't think you can force anyone to accept treatment if they don't want it. If that person is a child, then I would suggest their parents be the ones to make the final decision, however since the parents in this case sided with their child, who are the doctors to force it on him? And why would that even be an option?
Its interesting, but the state will only really step in if they think that the parents are making a bad decision based on the information that they have been given.

If the doctor thinks that theres a better then average chance of this kid getting better, or theres any chance at all and their meeting resistance from the parents, of course they're going to report it.

The other factor, I think is that its really not up to the parents on whether they're going to in theory pull the plug on their kid, and in this case the kid isn't in the best position to make a judgement especially with the other factors in his life (FAS, special needs). So if the kid is making the decision based on the fact that chemo is unpleasant, which it is. Then this has more to do with quality of life decisions, then life or death decisions.
__________________
My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;

Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!
CaptainCrunch is offline   Reply With Quote