Doctors Want To Turn Of Baby Ventilator
Posted by admin on March 10th, 2009Should a nine month old baby be allowed to die: the hospital where he is been treated say it is the only way of relieving the pain and suffering he is in. His parents say no. Mrs. Justice Parker is been asked to exercise the wisdom of Salmon.
It is his doctor’s claim that the baby is in constant claim, that he has no chance of ever getting better they are petitioning Mrs Justice Parker to let them take him off the ventilator and let him die peacefully. Once off the ventilator the doctors accept that the baby cannot survive on his own and will die within the month.
The child refereed to only as OT is one of the longest surviving babies on a ventilator having been first put on one when he was just three weeks old.
But one of the doctors treating him told the court: ‘There is no prospect or hope of a cure.’
The little boy has suffered brain damage and is unable to breathe unaided.
He became critical last week when he caught an infection, but is now stable but still in intensive care.
He is on morphine to control his pain but the doctor told the court that treatment to keep him alive only caused him more pain.
She said in nine months he had never shown any recognition or happiness, or any pleasurable response, and withdrew when anyone touched him.
She claimed that she and all the nurses and staff helping to care for him have been affected by the amount of suffering he was going through.
And she said that keeping him on the ventilator would condemn him to a ‘life of suffering with no prospect or hope of a cure because the damage to his brain is so great.’
She added: ‘There is no hope for the future. The only thing we do is inflict pain on him. I do not think he should suffer it any longer.’
The hospital was concerned about him long-term and said it was in his best interests to take him off the ventilator and give him palliative care until he dies.
But the parents named only as Mr and Mrs T are opposing the application by the NHS Trust responsible for the hospital to let him die peacefully.
It is their hope that some miracle cure will bring their son back to them and they want him to be kept on the ventilator to give him that chance.
The judge is weighing up all the medical evidence and is expected to give her decision later this week.
This is one of these rare issues where emotion and common sense part company. In the case of baby OT I must admit I come down upon the side of emotion – every baby, I believe has to right to live. Call it what you will it is still euthanasia
Tags: baby OT
Wisdom of salmon? Do you mean Solomon? Anyone with any wisdom would realise that keeping a baby alive who has suffered irreversible brain damage and is in pain is utterly wrong.