EVERY day, babies are born malformations requiring a life or death decision. The British Medical Association in their handbook of medical ethics, advises doctors that in such cases, parents must ultimately decide.
case, the court overruled a parental decision not to allow doctors to operate to save their baby's life.
drome and also had an intestinal blockage which would lead to death unless treated by David Plank, the mersmith court, where the baby was made a ward.
The court's decision comes at a time when Dr Leonard Arthur, Derbyshire pediatrician, alleged anderal r allegedly murdering Down's syndrome child.
arrested last wAd year when hospital worker told Life, the antithat the baby had died after being given a pain killing injection by Arthur.
Clear Life also claimed that the Director of Public ProCecutors considering four cases in which babies have heen allowed to die.
For the issue clear. All life is sacred and failure to do everything nossible to preserve life is equivalent to murder.
Supporters who work in hospitals have been asked details where they suspect babies are being allowed to die.
For HOSL uS, the questions involved are not so simply resolved.
Tony Smithe, Director of MIND (tne National Association for Mental Health), told Socialist Challenge, "These wretched Life people have clouded the ISSUC. Tony Smithe personally agrees with the severe Now, the law has taken a hand. In a recent The baby was a victim of Down's synDirector of HamSocial Services took the case to decision of Hammersmith's Social Services Director to take the recent case to court, he is opposed to Life's view that it's possible to apply any absolute principle similar cases.
He told US. 'Many situations exist where life would be truly unsupporconstant operations and medical tention are necaed to keep life going beyond reason.
the recent court however, • he thinks little of the argument that the chia's ne would be unsupportable. "The operation that was needed was not exceptional and the baby should have been treated like any other.
Interest He is in favour of an independent mechanism cas scrutinising individnd.
kind. *Parents should have considerable choice but. at the terests of parents. end of the day, , children the THE -and professionals don't always coincide.
He agrees that parents face a hard choice though. If I were a new parent in 10 V knowledge, and if I were well heeled I would be able to cope with the help I could buy.' For those who are not well Smithe described the sort of local provisions they could expect from the authorities LUSS-UN.
Where there are good services — life is hard but still supportable. Where there services, bloody difficult.' Carol, a London social worker talked to Socialist Many severely handicapped children and their parents could lead easier, pleasanter lives Challenge about the provision made in her area for severely handicapped children and those caring for them.
Cope During the first few years, shetold us bedren handicanned children are not such a tremendous burden. It's at the age of three to four, when they Local medical workers can help out by referring children special play groups and lay schools. Many specia day schools are owned and run and by charities. Area Services DepartIt's when severely handicapped children adolescence that parents begin to find it extremely arnicult to code witn tnem at home. But facilities in of homes for the LOLLIS handicapped can be very munity prorecreave best eradiscu for handicapped people in my area. None has worked so far. The client to staff is very high and so Talle the handicapped people are practically hospitalised. Abuse these cumstances is no big surprise. Afraid Even for the severely handicapped who grow to their twenties and thirties nome become more uncertain.
Smithe told us that MIND frequently who are a aid receives enter old are afraid for their handicapped child's future.
Today, the bulk of the responsibility for dicapped children is placed Ull parents, the particularly chosens the mother, and alternatives to home vary widely. Small wonder then that some parents feel they should allow their children to die when a choice presented, rather subject child and family alike to a living dom. Choice But while it's impossible to condemn parents for making such a decision, today's options, surely it would be totally wrong to advocate choose ife or death for their han dicapped children in the that choice arises. Children are salale human beings rights, not their parents' property.
Many severely han dicapped children and their families cond lead easier, pleasanter lives, if only the necessary support were freely available. And if only popular attitudes to the handicapped did not assign them to sub human species.
Today, there are no
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not developing, that life becomes harder.