Would you genetically screen for disability IF you already had a child with one?
By mommyboo
@mommyboo (13174)
United States
April 22, 2011 5:21pm CST
I think it doesn't make much sense for a healthy couple with no kids to go to great lengths to screen for disability or 'genetically engineer' a test tube baby - BUT... if you already have a child who has cystic fibrosis or down's syndrome or something that you have markers or carrier genes for, so you have a greater than normal chance of having a SECOND or THIRD child with the disability, WOULD you go to a genetic specialist and screen for the conditions so you could make sure your baby-to-be did not have the defective genes?
4 people like this
9 responses
@4mymak (1793)
• Malaysia
25 Apr 11
hi mommyboo..
even with all the testing, screening, filtering whatever - there is absolute 100% guarantee, is there?.. for those who believe in God.. we know that it is all in His hands.. i am not opposing to the idea of 'making sure'.. but this is a matter of life - of which we dont have any absolute right / knowledge to interfere with..
if it was me.. i may be feeling worried, scared to have another child if i already had one child with dissability.. but not worried that the next child maybe dissabled but, rather worried that i wont have the capacity / capability to care for the one i have already..
1 person likes this
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
11 May 11
Well... God does say we won't be given more than we can handle, yet I see people who are way outside their depth emotionally, physically, financially, EVERY DAY. I don't know if that means God lies or if those people are not trying or what have you, but it certainly gives some food for thought, doesn't it?
It's kind of sad that people can't really choose how and when to have kids, it's never an exact science anyway, and there really are more 'oops' than not. People argue all the time about 'is it right' to have one, two, three, how far apart to have them but really it depends on conception and there's not really anything you can do to speed up the process, make it occur exactly when you want, etc. Those who are able to do that precisely are just extremely lucky lol. I'm not even that good - we did somewhat plan a baby but I think the timing and environment had a lot to do with the result. It was one of those right time, right place sort of things. It's not like I thought 'I really want to have a baby today' and it happened lol.
@dreamy1 (3811)
• United States
23 Apr 11
Yes I would. I would get screened even if I didn't have kids. I would want to know any potential problems that might come about. If I knew there was a greater chance of them having some defect or disability and if I wanted to continue anyway I would want to know as much information as I could so that I could prepare myself for the kind of life they will have.
Nothing is guaranteed and you can have all the tests in the world and it might or might not be the result you are looking for but at least you can prepare your self either way. If there is a great chance that the child may have some kind of severe or life threatening disability I wouldn't even want to take the chance. I would have to think about what kind of quality of life the child would have. I would not want them to suffer unnecessarily because I knew the consequences of having them.
1 person likes this
@34momma (13882)
• United States
23 Apr 11
I know I would do it for sure. raising children who are healthy is a lot of work. raising children who have some kind of mental or physical illness would be so more more work. I would for sure take test to make sure that i would not have any more children who would be ill.
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
22 May 11
Yes..I think I would. If I already had a disabled child, I would definitely want to know if my next one would be too.
I know that we love our children no matter what. If any one of my children was disabled, I would do whatever I had to to make sure my child was cared for..even if that meant a lifetime responsibility to that child..well...you know what I mean..we have that anyway..but to physically care for. I think that people can become overwelmed caring for one child with a disability..to add another child to that equation might be near impossible.
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
22 Apr 11
Luckily I have two healthy children with no problems at all and do not plan on having any more children.
But if I did have a disabled child, then I would definitely take any precautions to avoid that happening again if I were planning another child. Having one disabled child is more than enough for a family to cope with. Having two would be extremely difficult and not fair on the children.
But if I did have a disabled child, then I would definitely take any precautions to avoid that happening again if I were planning another child. Having one disabled child is more than enough for a family to cope with. Having two would be extremely difficult and not fair on the children. @mommyboo (13174)
• United States
27 Apr 11
Very true, Bill. I have heard people, kids or adults, mention that it's harder to be a sibling of someone who is disabled because so much is disproportionately taken up by the disabled one. I know that sounds rotten because that's the way it has to be if they need therapy or PT or counseling, an aide, IEP, whatever, but it can still cause resentment in a lot of cases, and understandably.
@dellahappy (260)
• China
23 Apr 11
there is no doubt that i will ,i love children and i am happy and think it divine to give them life but it is cruel to give life but can't have a normal life .it's a disaster both for child and your family,especially for the baby they have no chance to deny but to accept with the rest of life unnomal,alone,even be discriminated by others,it's unfair...the only person can change this is you, as a parents,you must should take some steps to screen for disability.... good luck
1 person likes this
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
27 Apr 11
People should not be discriminating against someone for being disabled though! I would say if someone is wearing a very LOUD and clashing shirt and pants, it would make sense to say something to them if they looked ridiculous because that person CHOSE to wear a clashing and terrible outfit. As far as I know, no disabled person ever CHOSE to have a disability, whether it was from birth or due to an accident.
I am a big advocate of placing the blame on the offensive party, which is usually the people discriminating, NOT the victims. If we all treated everybody as we would like or expect to be treated, this issue would have already been solved.
@dawnald (85137)
• Shingle Springs, California
13 May 11
Very possibly, depends on the severity of the disability.
@sender621 (14889)
• United States
23 Apr 11
A dilemma for a parent for certain. hard choice to make but probably one to make for ake of all the family.
