NationStates Jolt Archive

Parents consider Surgery for Downs Syndrome Child (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/femail/article.html?in_article_id=528898&in_page_id=1879&in_page_id=1879&ct=5&expand=true)

I didn't quote the entire article because, it's a rather long article. Anyways the gist of it is that a surgeon and his surgically-enhanced wife are considering making their daughter look more "acceptable" by having a series of cosmetic surgery that eliminate the physical aspect of Downs Syndrome.

Personally I can see why they want to do this, I mean let's face it, we haven't gotten far as a society in terms of appreciating people beyond their looks. Let's face it, as a society, we're still shallow and materialistic bastards. Hell that's why I went through plastic surgery myself, on my mandible and ears.

However, people are still going to know that she has Downs, and they're still going to notice that she is mentally disabled. A part of me thinks that the parents are in denial about the reality of the situation, because when they discover that their daughter has Downs, it's the death of the "perfect" baby. Even if the father does the surgery, sooner or later they're going to have to come to grips with the fact that Ophelia does have Downs.

In the end though, I think it should be up to the daughter, and I think they should wait until she can make the decision for herself, if she can at all.

((Yes, I know it's the Daily Mail, and yes I am aware of it's reputation, let's just put that aside and discuss the merit of performing plastic surgery on a child.))

Might as well. Social acceptance is an important part of a person's developing life. If she looks more "normal" then people will treat her normally, thus giving her a chance at life without being made fun of, etc.

Why can't they:

A) Accept their child for who they are;

and

B) Wait until the child is over so the child can decide?

Might as well. Social acceptance is an important part of a person's developing life. If she looks more "normal" then people will treat her normally, thus giving her a chance at life without being made fun of, etc.

I didn't have my surgeries until I was in my late teens and early 20's, and I turned out fine. Of course I am a reclusive secretive guy who is bitter about certain things, but still. *twitches*

I didn't have my surgeries until I was in my late teens and early 20's, and I turned out fine. Of course I am a reclusive secretive guy who is bitter about certain things, but still. *twitches*

Surgery for what, if you don't mind my asking?

Surgery for what, if you don't mind my asking?

a series of surgeries to move my mandible to it's proper alignment, and a series of plastic surgery to give me ears. I think the jaw one was three, and the ears was six. Both of them done by plastic surgeons who've recieved international praise for their work.

Dr. Burt Brent (http://www.almanacnews.com/story.php?story_id=4430)

Dr. Spagnoli (http://tmjregistry.org/index.asp?Type=B_DIR&SEC=%7B51A04A61-AB78-402A-A2E3-F3CDE882272C%7D&DE=%7BBD5E63B0-0A75-43B6-8CF5-B84BC30E9A81%7D)

I still keep in touch with Dr. Spagnoli, mainly because we're both pilots. :)

This is one of thoes situations it is hard for me to decide

On one side you want to give people the freedom to be able to decide what they look like and if they have the money change it to be something they care for

On the other side you have the risks with the surgery and the fact that the child does not really have the ability to take the risks on for them selfs. And may never be at a point where they can do such.

Well this presents an interesting argument, should children undergo surgery?

While in some cases where they have a deformed nose yes, as it can cause medical problems when older and saves the child humilation if they are fully intelligent.

If they are just 'ugly' no for clear reasons.

I think a lot of you have who say "Let the child decide!" have never been around someone with Down Syndrom.

She wont be able to decide.

I think a lot of you have who say "Let the child decide!" have never been around someone with Down Syndrom.

She wont be able to decide.

Wrong on both counts.

Wrong on both counts.

Tell me how someone with Down Syndrom will be able to decide whether to go through cosmetic surgery or not?

Tell me how someone with Down Syndrom will be able to decide whether to go through cosmetic surgery or not?

If you explained it clearly enough to them.

If you explained it clearly enough to them.

Thats no garontee depending on the level of impairment ... clearness of explanation is not the only barrier to understanding in communication. Much less then absorbing and then choosing based on that information

If you explained it clearly enough to them.

First, there is a good chance they still wont understand what the hell you are talking about with something as complex as surgery.

Secondly, they really wont think about it as clearly as one would probably need to before they made a decision of this magnitude. They would say yes or no depending on how excited the person explaining it to them was, or based on what their parents had wanted them to do.

On one hand, this might just be parents trying to help their child fit in.

I dont buy that for a second however, I think this is a case of parents not being able to accept their children how they are and wanting to alter their kids physical apperance so they can in a way block out that their child isnt the "perfect" kid they wanted. Which is crap. Love the kid no matter what, no kid will ever be perfect. And especially in this situation, that child will NEED love more often.

First, there is a good chance they still wont understand what the hell you are talking about with something as complex as surgery.

Secondly, they really wont think about it as clearly as one would probably need to before they made a decision of this magnitude. They would say yes or no depending on how excited the person explaining it to them was, or based on what their parents had wanted them to do.



True but there is a change that the child will understand however low. So maybe they should wait until older.

Might as well. Social acceptance is an important part of a person's developing life. If she looks more "normal" then people will treat her normally, thus giving her a chance at life without being made fun of, etc.

However, she isn't "normal". I worry, in a way, about two girls I know, who looks like Sandra Bullock and the other is a pretty blonde, and they both have Aspergers and Autism. While it's great that their appearances have not been affected, which helps them make more friends, I worry that because they're pretty but very slow they could be taken advantage of.

Parents consider Surgery for Downs Syndrome Child (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/femail/article.html?in_article_id=528898&in_page_id=1879&in_page_id=1879&ct=5&expand=true)

I didn't quote the entire article because, it's a rather long article. Anyways the gist of it is that a surgeon and his surgically-enhanced wife are considering making their daughter look more "acceptable" by having a series of cosmetic surgery that eliminate the physical aspect of Downs Syndrome.

Personally I can see why they want to do this, I mean let's face it, we haven't gotten far as a society in terms of appreciating people beyond their looks. Let's face it, as a society, we're still shallow and materialistic bastards. Hell that's why I went through plastic surgery myself, on my mandible and ears.

However, people are still going to know that she has Downs, and they're still going to notice that she is mentally disabled. A part of me thinks that the parents are in denial about the reality of the situation, because when they discover that their daughter has Downs, it's the death of the "perfect" baby. Even if the father does the surgery, sooner or later they're going to have to come to grips with the fact that Ophelia does have Downs.

In the end though, I think it should be up to the daughter, and I think they should wait until she can make the decision for herself, if she can at all.

((Yes, I know it's the Daily Mail, and yes I am aware of it's reputation, let's just put that aside and discuss the merit of performing plastic surgery on a child.))

It's a very complex subject, but if the child is able to communicate well enough, they should ask her how she feels about it. There was a girl with down syndrome at my school, and she would have been able to make the choice if it were very very clearly explained to her. We can't forget that plastic surgery causes pain, as well.

At least they won't do it while she's still a child:
Laurence Kirwan insisted that he would make that decision if Ophelia - who is two this month - reached the age of 18 and was being unfairly judged on how she looked.

However, this is downright wrong:
By the time Georgia Bussey was five, her parents Kim and David, from Pimlico, South-West London, had put her through the ordeal of surgery three times.

If a child is suffering from their physical deformity, it's important to have surgery, however, like I said, plastic surgery causes pain, and they've inflicted that pain on a child for aesthetic reasons.

Most plastic surgeons won't do breast implants on those who aren't fully developed, so I can't see how someone would operate on a five year old who wasn't physically suffering from their physical deformity.


I didn't have my surgeries until I was in my late teens and early 20's, and I turned out fine. Of course I am a reclusive secretive guy who is bitter about certain things, but still. *twitches*

Well, it's good that you had the surgery and were able to make the decision yourself.

Plus, even "normal looking" people can be severely self-conscious about their appearance.

I think a lot of you have who say "Let the child decide!" have never been around someone with Down Syndrom.

She wont be able to decide.

It depends on the severity.

If you explained it clearly enough to them.

Yes, because someone with the mental capacity of a three year old truly knows what is best for them.

Lets let kids vote in elementary school too!

I think it's up to the parents, but I wouldn't do it, only maybe if she had a lighter form and her disabilities are mainly physical opposed to mental. I also think that it might be easier for others to accept her disabilities if she looks like someone with Downs syndrome. I also think that Downs syndrome is already pretty much accepted, it's not that uncommon to be stared at a lot in the street or something (I think, I have little experience with that, but it seems to be pretty well known.)