Attenuating Growth: A More Humane Alternative A Response to Gunther and Diekema

• Published in: Research and practice for persons with severe disabilities 2006-12, Vol.31 (4), p.346-347
• Main Authors: Romer, Lyle T., Crocker, Allen C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Developmental Disabilities; Reader Response; Severe Disabilities
• ISSN: 1540-7969; 2169-2408
• DOI: 10.1177/154079690603100409

An astonishing tract has been published that involves a plan for the modification of the growth of children with severe developmental disabilities by administering hormonal treatments designed to arrest growth at an early age (Gunther & Diekema, 2006). The schema put forth is based upon the concern of the authors for the burdensome effect families experience in providing day-to-day, physical care, and support for children who are becoming more difficult to handle due to their increasing size. Attenuating growth for these children entails vigorous estrogen therapy that is undertaken during a critical growth period and then results in substantially smaller size for the child. The modification of a child's physical state for the purpose of making day-to-day care easier is remarkable and deeply disturbing. In this reply, the authors intent to add another perspective on this issue, one that opposes the practice of limiting the growth of children with severe disabilities for the benefit of support providers. They felt that it would be a denial of a child's basic right to be free from the unwarranted and unnecessary manipulation of basic biological functions merely to satisfy the needs of a third party.