These days, after the passing of the “Prenatally and Postnatally Diagnosed Conditions Awareness Act”, one would expect an OBGYN to present a fair and accurate representation of the future possibilities of children born with Down syndrome.
Dr. Amy, The Skeptical OB, does not do this. Instead she discounts that raising a child with Ds can be an enriching experience and states that it is a "lifelong burden". She goes on to say that, “Raising a child with a serious genetic anomaly is a major burden, one that never ends and one that often gets harder as the years go by.”
When parents commented on her post saying that this is not true, she insists their opinions are simply personal experience not applicable to the overall view of Down syndrome. Ironically, Dr. Amy is NOT speaking from experience and is just regurgitating stereotypes.
Her one-sided attitudes are inappropriate given her position as an “OBGYN”... Go visit and see what you think.
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My 2 cents: I don't think engaging this person in a debate is worth the effort. Why does her opinion matter to us? Because she's a doctor? She did go to medical school, and she wrote a book about child rearing in 1994, but I don't think she's practiced medicine or made any contribution to her field aside from sharing her opinions any time recently. Why bother? As pointed out on BabyCenter, though, I would be interested to know who the child is that is illustrating her blog entry.
ReplyDeleteI think it is important to leave comments on her blog so that others that read her nonsense can see that maybe she is wrong.
ReplyDeleteOooooh, that really makes me angry. I posted 2 comments, using my name. Who knows if any of our comments will make a difference to her, but I'm sure it will gives others who are casually reading her blog something to think about. I, too, commented on the cute boy. I've seen his pic before and I'll bet today he wouldn't be so happy that his pic is being used and labeled as "Down syndrome."
ReplyDeleteDid you notice that her blog header really says "SOB?"
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing Harvard would be embarrassed and appalled.
ReplyDeleteI left a comment on the blog, but won't be visiting again.
I, too, left a comment using my name and credentials (I figured this is important to her given that she puts MD after her name on all comments). I can't find my comment, so hopefully it appears soon...
ReplyDeleteSusan, I do understand your point, but unfortunately, I DO think her opinion matters to parents who feel lost with a prenatal diagnosis and who are desparately seeking information to help them make decisions. I don't want those parents to think that this OB's truth is OUR truth.
Thanks for letting me know about this.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for linking and allowing me to read your own brilliant commentary.
ReplyDeleteNow, if only I had a background in metalworks...
poor amy....lol. i haven't had that much fun leaving a comment in a very long time. i couldn't figure out how to leave my name without leaving my link though...too bad otherwise i would have. hurray for us!
ReplyDeleteI have just been signing my name to my posts - not that she actually READS them. She just picks out what she wants to argue about. How did she ever graduate Harvard?
ReplyDeleteI posted using my name as well. I'd written a big, long and poignant response that got lost in cyberspace but then went back in and posted a briefer version as follows:
ReplyDeleteMaggie Mae
It is not the freedom of choice I disagree with you on. It is not the development and availability of prenatal testing that I disagree with you on. It is the misrepresentation of the facts with regards to Down syndrome that is the problem. Your facts are incorrect! Not all people with Down syndrome are mentally retarded and not all people with Down syndrome have heart problems or low muscle tone. The capabilities of people with Down syndrome vary as much as the capabilities of people without Down syndrome. I know, I am the mother of identical twins with Down syndrome who are performing in the "normal" range of development cognitively and physically.
Further, the purpose of having children is ABSOLUTELY to enrich our lives! Why else do we do it? It is to grace our own lives with the experience of parenthood and the responsibility of bringing another human being into this world and raising them to be good, responsible and contributing members of society. To enrich our own lives and the lives of those they touch. I have never met a person with Down syndrome that did not enrich the lives of the people around them. And, I can attest that my sons with Down syndrome, as well as my daughter without Ds, have absolutely enriched my life and the lives of every one they touch, deeply affecting their very existence in this world in such a positive way.
Certainly, I did not and would not choose Down syndrome for them. But, I absolutely accept and embrace them just exactly the way they are. They are perfect! Perfectly imperfect... just like the rest of us!
Finally, the notion that we should rid the world of people with Down syndrome is a very Hitleresque concept. Surely there is a place in this world for people with brown hair. A place in this world for people of short stature. A place in this world for people with Diabetes. A place in this world for people with Down syndrome. A place in this world for doctors who mislead their patients with inaccurate information about Down syndrome.
If only there were a test to predict which medical students would lie and/or mislead their patients to satisfy their own twisted beliefs so that we could rid the world of such an unnecessary part of the population before they are able to have any negative influence over us!
There are 308 comments and counting!!! It is amazing the dialogue and at SOME point, Dr. Amy should concede that her point, that children with down syndrome are "burdens", is based on her prejudice and not the experience of families or medical fact.
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly why legislation was needed to provide full information to prospective parents.
Wait wait wait. Let's clear something up here. This woman is not a practicing doctor. So technically she's not an OB, she's a former OB. and skeptical? The definition of skeptical is "showing doubt" Now this woman isn't showing doubt. She's just pontificating about something she knows nothing about. She's not doubting us, she's down right refusing to listen.
ReplyDeleteI propose a blog name change
The closed-minded former doctor (who hates on anyone with a different opinion and refuses to engage in intelligent/respectful dialogue)
Seems more suited to what she really is
I think I called her in one of my comments "I'm not REALLY a doctor IRL, I just play one on the internet."
ReplyDeleteThis lady is a waste of breath. Now she has a brain tumor, which I don't wish on anybody. But she is complaining about her treatment and the red carpet not being rolled out because "she is a collegue"
Please.
Stephanie
This woman is a piece of work. All of the comments here are excellent. Maggie Mae- you couldn't have said it better.
ReplyDeleteShe's back-
ReplyDeletehttp://open.salon.com/blog/amytuteurmd/2009/10/08/should_we_lament_the_disappearance_of_down_syndrome/comment
ugh- I really don't get what she gets out of this being her focus.
Cole