Ashley's mom and dad called her their "Pillow Angel" - the girl has a rare medical condition called "static encephalopathy of unknown etiology." Ashley's condition means that even though her body grows normally, her brain is "stuck" developmentally as a 3-month-old baby.
Ashley's parents had now revealed that doctors have given Ashley a hormone treatment to limit her growth (as well as to remove her uterus and block the development of her breast), thus stopping her from growing into a woman. In effect, Ashley will forever remain in a child's body.
Ashley's parents say that because she will remain the weight of a child, it will be easier for them to move her around, bathe her and involve her in family activities - movement that will benefit her physical and mental well-being.
Dr Douglas Diekema from the University of Washington in Seattle, who was on the ethics committee that gave the go-ahead for Ashley's treatment, told the BBC that the panel agreed "because the parents convinced us it was in fact in this little girl's best interests".
"If she were smaller it would be much easier for them to continue to provide a much more personal level of care," he said.
But Agnes Fletcher of the UK's Disability Rights Commission said is was "unnecessary medical treatment to deal with what is essentially a social problem", referring to "the poverty and lack of support" faced by families with disabled children.
Needless to say, this is controversial. Read the whole story before you decide whether this is morally right or wrong. Links: Ashley's Blog | BBC | Times - via Internet Monitor
What's next for her... will they put her in some sort of mould so she never gets fat or something?
If they find a cure for her condition one day that girl is going to murder her selfish parents with good reason.
With brain development halted at 3 months, the child isn't going to realise the difference so why shouldn't the parents be given an easier time to care for her? Personally, I think that this is the best choice to make in this situation. You can flame me if you want, I'm not worried, I'm just standing for what I believe.
If I was in the position of the parents I would do the exact same thing, and I admire them for actually revealing to the public what they agreed to do.
Anyway, who are you to be judging these people? You are not in their position, and God forbid you or anyone else having to be. It's their child, and they should be allowed to raise it in a way that they feel fit, as long as it doesn't negativity affect anyone else. If they want to control her life, since she can't control it herself, why shouldn't they?
I wish I could get one of those fat moulds for myself... it would make my life a heck of a lot easier.
I hope that it was the right decision.
How come nobody thinks that these parents would also like to see Ashley as grownup woman having a child herself and getting married and all that - well, it won't happen:(
And even if we agree that she has no concept of what she's missing out on, she stills deserves to be treated with respect. Do we not treat the dead with dignity?
After reading their side of the story it really seems to me that the decision was a long thought out, practical and loving response to the problems and needs she will face in the future. They are trying to avoid putting her in an impersonal care facility for as long as they can, and thinking of her comfort and safety for long after they might no longer be able to care for her, in short, doing their job as proper parents.
And Silent002 is right, if someday there IS a miracle cure that !! grows new brain tissue !! , then she will just be undersized and unable to have children - not all THAT bad in the wide world of symptoms.
If we come up with a way to jumpstart this girl's brain to the point where she cares if she has a womb or not is such progress that if we can do that, we can regrow all the parts that were removed.
Secondly, "How selfish of those people to want a little girl for ever!":
Imagine babysitting a 200 pound baby. Ever notice how a baby will flail with out really noticing it? Imagine trying to bathe or move or dress a person who has Grand Mal seizures 24/7.
Yes , that would be sooooo ethical.
They acted in their own interest, and they were uncomfortable with their daughter's adult body and sexuality. And they did not protect her from abuse as much as they have deprived her of a form of pleasure (she probably doesn't have many) and, if it came to that, of motherhood. As for her child being mentally handicapped, that's not sure, and a handicapped child is still human, and not necessarily worse off than her.
i respect them a great deal for what they did for her