Pros And Cons Of Baby Doe Law
There is only one group of people in the United States that are required and forced by law to accept medical treatment. The argument is that this group of people are not rational autonomous individuals and that they are not able to give free and informed consent.
In 1984 Congress amended our laws to mandate that all infants born in the United States receive medical care. No matter how sick or disabled, all newborns must be treated regardless of the wishes of the parents. This law is known as the Baby Doe Law. The law came about as a result of a baby born with Down Syndrome whose parents declined surgery to fix a tracheo-esophageal fistula, leading to the baby's death. The law is intended to protect the rights of the disabled. Prior to 1984 children born with a disability were not given aggressive treatment if their parents chose against it for any reason or if doctors deemed it inappropriate. But did federal law go too far in its effort to ensure that children were not allowed to die simply because they had a disability? Did Congress write a law that was overly restrictive? Concerns about a child's quality of life, which are often the primary factors in deciding to withhold medical treatment from …show more content…
Allowing a 22 weeker to live for 2 weeks and then being found to not have brain damage, is a child who would otherwise have been left to die solely on the basis on their gestational age. Preemies believed to have been born at 22 weeks have statistical risks of multiple disabilities. However, many life long disabilities are not diagnosed until long after discharge. Major disabilities like blindness or cerebral palsy, are diagnosed in the first two years, school-age preemies run a risk of having behavior difficulties, ADHD or learning disabilities that cannot be diagnosed in early
In 1984 Congress amended our laws to mandate that all infants born in the United States receive medical care. No matter how sick or disabled, all newborns must be treated regardless of the wishes of the parents. This law is known as the Baby Doe Law. The law came about as a result of a baby born with Down Syndrome whose parents declined surgery to fix a tracheo-esophageal fistula, leading to the baby's death. The law is intended to protect the rights of the disabled. Prior to 1984 children born with a disability were not given aggressive treatment if their parents chose against it for any reason or if doctors deemed it inappropriate. But did federal law go too far in its effort to ensure that children were not allowed to die simply because they had a disability? Did Congress write a law that was overly restrictive? Concerns about a child's quality of life, which are often the primary factors in deciding to withhold medical treatment from …show more content…
Allowing a 22 weeker to live for 2 weeks and then being found to not have brain damage, is a child who would otherwise have been left to die solely on the basis on their gestational age. Preemies believed to have been born at 22 weeks have statistical risks of multiple disabilities. However, many life long disabilities are not diagnosed until long after discharge. Major disabilities like blindness or cerebral palsy, are diagnosed in the first two years, school-age preemies run a risk of having behavior difficulties, ADHD or learning disabilities that cannot be diagnosed in early