A Civil World. Off-topic discussions on a variety of topics. > Time For a Coffee Break!

Babies with made-to-order defects?!?!?!?

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Cyndi:
I am seething and about to scream. Read this article and you will see why. This is an OUTRAGE! What right do we have to do this?!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16299656/

WAY TO STUNT HUMAN EVOLUTION!  >:(

pryncsskittyn:
Oh my word!!  How unbelievably WRONG!  I mean, children with disabilities is unfortunate, but to purposly create a child that is going to end up (at least in the states) in the medical and disbility programs (most likely taxpayer funded) is just ignorant.  As a taxpayer, I have respect for people who are involved with these programs and have no problem supporting them, but to CREATE a child that is going to end up in these programs, they should not be allowed to enter any programs.  I hope these parents have a good insurance plan, these children are going to become a buren on the medical community!!!!!

Cyndi:
Besides, how will those kids feel when they're teased and bullied and go home to mommy asking why, and the mother says, "I had you made that way."

I, for example, would never in a million years want to give a child autism just because I'm autistic myself!(heck I don't even want kids). While it does give me some intellectual advantages, the disabling parts of it are painful and frightening and I would not wish that on anyone who didn't ask for it. And a person at conception can not ask or say NO to such things!


edited for clarity.

ladiedeathe:
I don't agree with deliberately causing a disability in a child. Ever.

Having said that, though, I can see in the case of deaf parents why they might want only a deaf child. I have deaf friends with hearing children, and I helped to raise my ex's grandson who is deaf, so I've been allowed to see some of the challenges in both situations. (If there are any deaf board members please correct me if I screw up too bad- I'm only speaking from 2nd hand experience here as I am hearing.)

Deaf-from-birth parents (those most likely to try for a designer child) who have a hearing child are in for years of heck. They often can't teach their child to speak because their own speech is not good or possibly not present. They usually can't sing songs or read stories aloud. They can't go to the child's school without an interpretor. If they primarily speak ASL, english may be a second language to them. With the current climate of the US at least, they face years of being "aided" with parenting by friends, family, and schools. They will be treated at times as if they are mentally challenged; they may be reported to Children's Services for refusing to allow "assistance" they do not want.

Dead parents with a deaf child, however, take their child to schools that speak their language. Programs and interactions are things they can all do together. Teachers sign. ASL may considered the primary language.  Hearing parents can learn to function in this world- deaf parents cannot learn to have hearing.

Aside from this, at least in America, is the fact that there is a growing political componant to being deaf. Many deaf folks consider themselves different from hearing, but not handicapped in any way. To be "deaf of deaf" (a deaf child of deaf parents) makes you gain respect in some areas of deaf society. When my ex's grandson goes to college at Gallaudet, he will probably get some flack for being "not deaf enough" because he is deaf-of-hearing and able to speak.

My guess is that deaf parents who choose to have a deaf child want a kid who will be a part of their world, just like anyone else. Go to the schools they went to, learn to sign the same songs, face challenges they can help them with. It all depends on how you look at it.

Rose2Bear:
Quote from the article:

"Cara Reynolds of Collingswood, N.J., who considered embryo screening but now plans to adopt a dwarf baby, is outraged by the criticism.
'You cannot tell me that I cannot have a child who’s going to look like me,” Reynolds said. “It’s just unbelievably presumptuous and they’re playing God.' "

Um.... what? She honestly thinks by NOT letting the doctors design her baby to be a dwarf, legal and ethics committes are playing God?  Doesn't that seem totally backwards?

While I don't have a problem with screening to avoid problems, this just seems too much. To purposely create a disability for ones child seems to be taking control to the extreme.

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