David Lock

This is the poor kid who is profoundly disabled and Gt Ormond St doctors say it is best to pull the plug.

If it were my kid I would turn off the support for his sake.

If you know some of the background please comment. What would you do?

David

===========

steve05wrx

Hi,
Until there is absolutely no hope - there is still hope.
Why should he be deprived of treatment, just because treatment is not available in the UK - when specialists from other countries are offering to treat him?
Also, experts say he is not in pain or suffering - so there is no urgent reason to switch off his life support.
Horrible position for his parents to be in.
On balance, I think he should be sent to USA for the treatment being offered - what's the downside?
Cheers
Steve

dpb

If it's some kind of vitamin supplement, they can bring it To him

?!

urban

iTrader: (1)

Easy to say i know, but I reckon if it were my child, I'd pull the plug.
He's only alive because of machines, even with this experimental treatment, what life would he have?

Dr Hu

Yeah - my thoughts - I sort of agree if the parents want to take him abroad for other treatment it should be the parents decision - but after thinking about it I also thought what sort of life is he going to lead going forwards - don't think he's ever going to be running around the playground - desperately sad all round TBH......

Rusti

iTrader: (4)

They need to ask themselves a very difficult question, are they doing it for them or the child?

Not a position any parent would want to find themselves in.

mrtheedge2u2

This should answer most of your questions:

http://www.gosh.nhs.uk/frequently-as...ard-court-case

And from my personal perspective I side with the UK team's analysis. Reading about this US professor makes me think he is using this just to further his own self interests/publicity. He/she has already stated another 6-24 months work on rats would need to be completed before any sort of work could be performed on the child.

David Lock

Don't take this as a flippant observation but if you had a pet with a similar condition you wouldn't think twice before the last trip to the vet. And this would be to stop any further suffering for your pet. So what's the difference?

And I have no time for the 300,000 odd individuals who have signed a petition as they have no idea of what they are talking about. And now Gt Ormond St doctors are receiving death threats FFS.

David

urban

iTrader: (1)

You're exactly right. The pet would be put down.

This US fellow, presumably he's not doing this for free either.
So he gets a ton of publicity, and a large wad of money with no guaranteed big improvement for the wee lad.

JDM_Stig

iTrader: (3)

But the NHS wont help put a human out of their misery, if they even want to die.

Tidgy

'In the opinion of the professionals at GOSH, Charlie will never breathe unaided, or swallow food, and he has little or no awareness of the world around him. He cannot see, hear or feel. He also reportedly has fits that are difficult to control'

The treatment in the US is to stabilize him and only has about 10% chance of making any improvement.

Reality is the parents are prolonging the inevitable

EddScott

Difficult situation and can sympathise with the parents.

I think I would probably allow him to die - probably.

I've had "the conversation" with a doctor regarding withdrawing care for my partner when she was terminally ill. We had an entire conversation without actually saying it. Enough was a enough and the doctor agreed.

urban

iTrader: (1)

I know what you mean.
I had a similar conversion with doctors when my mother was very ill.
She had to be resuscitated a couple of times - without my knowledge, it was in the middle of the night.
Doctor had myself and family members in a room, and quite simply said, do you want us to keep resuscitating - which we agreed wasn't the right thing to do

wrx300scooby

Sad as it seems, if it were my son/daughter in that position I would like to think I would let them slip away. I sympathise with what his parents are going through however.

tony de wonderful

They should have pulled the plug ages ago. The longer it has gone on the harder it is for the parents to let go.

Blue by You

iTrader: (23)

A difficult question, and I'm glad I don't have to make the choice.
Taking into account his extensive disabilities which I believe are becoming worse as his brain deteriorates, how much 'person' is there remaining in that body?
If he can't survive without the aid of a machine then perhaps he should be allowed to die.
But how many people are surving only with the aid of a pacemaker? Should they be switched off because they too are machine dependant?
I think the American doctors are just looking for a way to experiment with their treatment and it does sound very much ike there's no real hope of a cure.
I think, regrettably for his parnts, the people best equipped to make this decision are the doctors that have been treating the boy.

lozgti1

So utterly sad, and heartbreaking for the parents,but you have to let him go.

Me? I couldn't either and would do everything the parents are doing.Pointless I know. but you would.

Seeing him in 'mommy's little soldier' pyjamas doesn't help.

I'm afraid GOSH are right and there is no way on earth they would let a life go unless in reality, it already has

lozgti1

And you can't compare it to putting a pet down. At all

elgassi

very difficult subject, but IMO
they should have let the little fella fade away months ago, it;s now becoming the Parents Court show, everyone's attention should geared towards the boy's welfare not dragging all this through courts
the wee lad has no quality of life now or likely to have in the future, his body is deteriorating daily, who knows the pain he may be suffering, sad, sad situation but the right decision is to let him slip away peacefully

lozgti1

David, I know a cat or a dog is still a life (and I have been through the heartbreak of pets dying )

But this is completely different and in no way comparable

David Lock

At the heart of this sad saga is the enjoyment and quality of life of a creature. And integral to that the selflessness of those with a responsibility such as parents or a pet owner.

Personally I wouldn't want a child of mine to be kept alive with such terrible problems, not even knowing if he was in pain. I would feel much more comfortable if I had the ***** to give him a last hug and ask the medics to turn off the support.

I won't argue about the pet comparison but I do feel it is a very reasonable view to take.

David

lozgti1

I know. They do have to let him go

urban

iTrader: (1)

The parents have withdrawn their application to take him abroad

dpb

Lordy,Now blaming hosp and courts for wasting time

Presumably based on opinion yank doc

Pross

iTrader: (3)

What happens to the 1.3M they raised?

dpb

I think its extremely unlikely theyre keeping it ?!?

johned

A very hard and sad place to be for the parents and i wish them all the best and why does life have to be so cruel to a child that has done nothing wrong.

urban

iTrader: (1)

Apparently they're now going back to court to request that he can go home to die.
I don't imagine that'll be happening either.

urban

iTrader: (1)

Its "gods" way of telling us he loves us.
If you believe in such shyte that is.

An0n0m0us

I can understand the parents wishes but they just don't consider the reality of their demands. Their Son has very invasive care and it can't be provided at their house. Do they really want an uncontrolled potentially painful and distressing death for him or for him to pass away pain free and controlled so he doesn't suffer.

This provides all the info on the situation:

http://news.sky.com/story/charlie-ga...o-die-10961542

It is incredibly sad and I wish the poor boy a peaceful passing.