Curious Case of Brooke Greenberg - 16 year old toddler - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

alltherage · 08-11-2009, 10:29 AM

Might lead to some crazy breakthroughs in delaying the aging process...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fox News

But unlike other girls her age who are learning to drive and going to the prom, Brooke still wears diapers, travels in a stroller and can’t walk or talk. Like a toddler, Brooke is 2-and-a-half feet tall and weighs only 16 pounds.
“For the past 10, 11 years, she’s looked the same,” said Brooke’s father, Howard Greenberg. “The price is, she’s adorable. She stopped aging at the right age.”

Story

CaptainCrunch · 08-11-2009, 11:38 AM

What a horrible way to live.

alltherage · 08-11-2009, 01:11 PM

Yeah... I can't imagine not being cognitive and stuff, but to be honest... she would have no idea that she's different. She is too immature to even remember how old she was yesterday, let alone that she is 16. It would be like having a pet or something... not to de-humanize her, but really... she would live a reactionary life just kind of needing food, love, shelter etc... nothing else.

Very strange none the less. I was more intrigued by the prospect of not aging as a science than the story of this girl who doesn't age. Imagine the scientific implications? I wonder when she will pass away... if she was to live without any other medical complications, would she still die around that 75 to 95 age? Could she potentially live for longer?

The Ditch · 08-11-2009, 01:15 PM

There was a show on this on TLC last Sunday. She has the mental capacity of about a 7 month old along with a ton of other mental handicaps. Not much to say I didn't find the show as interesting as I thought it would be. They talked about finding out what is wrong with her and "unlocking her secrets" but as of right now they have no idea and her DNA profile matches that of a normal healthy girl of 16, which is leaving them confused.

4X4 · 08-11-2009, 01:17 PM

I pity the parents. Having a toddler for 16 years? Yikes.

VladtheImpaler · 08-11-2009, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4X4

I pity the parents. Having a toddler for 16 years? Yikes.

16? For the rest of their lives/her life whichever is briefer.
Leaving aside the human tragedy angle, I am fascinated by the scientific implications. Would her organs/body still degrade at the same rate or can she potentially live like this for 150 years? Assuming otherwise she is physically healthy.

Gundo · 08-11-2009, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

What a horrible way to live.

How so? If you don't know any better, you just know it as normal.

alltherage · 08-11-2009, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4X4

I pity the parents. Having a toddler for 16 years? Yikes.

That's really hard to say. I've seen situations where there are severe differences in kids, and when you're as close this as her parents are, you may have a very strong feeling that you wouldn't change it for the world...

Having said that, again the question in my mind would be about what her capacity for hapiness, relationships, etc would be? Is there any way to fulfill a child like this, or is that even part of the equation?

The Ditch · 08-11-2009, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alltherage

That's really hard to say. I've seen situations where there are severe differences in kids, and when you're as close this as her parents are, you may have a very strong feeling that you wouldn't change it for the world...

The parents seemed fine, they understood the situation, I felt bad for their daughters, the oldest one didn't get much of a childhood it seemed she had to learn how to take care of her sister, they have a nurse now but before they didn't and both parents work so the daughters picked/pick up a lot of slack.

Quote:

Originally Posted by alltherage

Having said that, again the question in my mind would be about what her capacity for hapiness, relationships, etc would be? Is there any way to fulfill a child like this, or is that even part of the equation?

Literally the child can't talk or do any sort of sign language or anything. When she is unhappy she will start to cry and shake her head around, and when she's happy she will smile or swing in a swing set they put her in. She can't walk on her own, she has this walker type thing where she can barely push her self around.

alltherage · 08-11-2009, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Ditch

Literally the child can't talk or do any sort of sign language or anything. When she is unhappy she will start to cry and shake her head around, and when she's happy she will smile or swing in a swing set they put her in. She can't walk on her own, she has this walker type thing where she can barely push her self around.

I understand that. I suppose part of me is the optimist that wants to think maybe she can have fulfillment of some kind. Maybe theres more than meets the eye...

As soon as I typed that i knew this image had to be in here.

Russic · 08-11-2009, 01:34 PM

I realize there are scientific implications, but would it even be possible to work with this? I mean, if they figured out why she's like that tomorrow and found a way to give it to others is it something you'd actually want? It would appear whatever she has is taking a pretty wild toll on her body seeing as she's so medically frail. Cells are just programed to die ... it seems like stopping them from doing so might get messy.

Locke · 08-11-2009, 01:37 PM

Wow, I cant imagine that, I mean, she obviously has no idea what the hell is going on or any concept that things should be different than the way they currently are.

As this point though, this is no longer a person, this is a pet for her parents. Sure, toddlers are 'cute' but if she isnt growing then technically isnt her life over? Shes here, theres nowhere else for her to go, nothing she can learn or do?

Its almost like a cruel and unusual punishment by God.

The Ditch · 08-11-2009, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Locke

Wow, I cant imagine that, I mean, she obviously has no idea what the hell is going on or any concept that things should be different than the way they currently are.

As this point though, this is no longer a person, this is a pet for her parents. Sure, toddlers are 'cute' but if she isnt growing then technically isnt her life over? Shes here, theres nowhere else for her to go, nothing she can learn or do?

Its almost like a cruel and unusual punishment by God.

Pretty much. The parents actually seemed like really good parents but a couple of comments made me wtf a bit. The mom was out clothes shopping for her saying "I don't want her to look like a baby, she needs to look like a 16 girl because that's what she is" I mean, I know she's 16 years old but honestly she is the size of a baby, has the capacity of a baby, I don't think it matters what kind of clothes she wears.

alltherage · 08-11-2009, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Ditch

Pretty much. The parents actually seemed like really good parents but a couple of comments made me wtf a bit. The mom was out clothes shopping for her saying "I don't want her to look like a baby, she needs to look like a 16 girl because that's what she is" I mean, I know she's 16 years old but honestly she is the size of a baby, has the capacity of a baby, I don't think it matters what kind of clothes she wears.

Yeah, like... are they going to buy her training bras and tank tops? That is a weird thing for her mom to say.

Jason14h · 08-11-2009, 02:22 PM

Think we could grind her up and make skin cream to stop the aging process? I'd pay a couple bucks for that! Beats Tiger organs!

malcolmk14 · 08-11-2009, 02:31 PM

How weird would that be if she did have the mental capacity of a 16 year old girl?

She'd be graduating high school next year but look like a two year old. That'd be a total mind fata.

Yeah_Baby · 08-11-2009, 03:59 PM

I'm just went to Fox News' web page. I feel dirty.

Anyhoo I can't imagine that. How strange. I've never heard about something like that.