I am just interested in what some parents on this board would do in this situation. If your child was born with one body and two heads, would you surgically have one head removed?
I bet squeezing that sucker out was fun.
I would destroy the abomination.
[quote]Professor X wrote:
I am just interested in what some parents on this board would do in this situation. If your child was born with one body and two heads, would you surgically have one head removed?[/quote]
Good question! I am not a parent so I have no idea how I would feel about that. I can say now that I would feel one way or the other, but I think my opinion would mean nothing until I know what it is like to have a child of my own.
I will be interested to see the responses as well.
If I could I’d use it in my travelling circus gig and earn millions.
[quote]Mys7icaL 0n3 wrote:
I would destroy the abomination.[/quote]
Thanks for the intelligent response there young man.
If both heads would function properly without complications I wouldnt touch him/her. If one was there and non-functional and it wouldnt cause any issues having it removed, I would remove it.
I watched a documentary on conjoined twins sometime back, and they had a pair of little girls on with this same type of joining. Their spines fused just below the neck, so there was no possible way to seperate without killing at least one of them.
It was deeply disturbing. It was like the two-headed monster from Sesame Street, without the cuteness. They were perhaps six or seven, seemed fully functional; they even were riding a bike. I can’t imagine how scarred they’ll be from children and adults reaction to them, and I can’t see them ever having a job or a normal life.
(really, do you have to pay them as two people? Two obviously different minds, but only two hands between them. If one doesn’t mind being fat and likes to eat, how does the other head stop her? Who controls which body part? Can both heads feel the same things? Can both heads control the whole body, the same side they’re on, opposite side?)It just goes on.
I can’t say what I’d do, as I’m not a parent yet, but as a snap decision, I’d have to let it die. I don’t think I could handle that kind of profound deformity.
With todays technology there’s no way a woman can give birth to a child with two heads without knowing it first. In my opinion you’re an egoistic idiot, if you don’t choose an abortion, if you know the child will be severely disabled or retarded.
I may be a cynical asshole but that’s my opinion…
Out of curiousity, I wonder which head controls the motor functions. Or perhaps both? That would be quite an interesting life.
Do they both get married to the same person or can they have two spouses?
If one wants ice cream and the other wants toast, who wins?
Or what to wear that day?
Maybe one is more artistic and the other isn’t. One good with business and the other not.
Or would they be on the same level?
Two paychecks?
Curious.
I think it would certainly depend on the prognosis for survival with or without both heads. If they are both fully functional, you raise a child with two heads (conjoined twins- it’s been done before).
However, if one of the heads is “dead” and can be removed, I think it’s no different than having your tonsils removed (which doesn’t seem to be the case here).
If the doctors end up determining that they both won’t live “connected” and only one will survive with the surgery, then that’s a decision that I’m very thankful that I haven’t had to make. No parent should ever have to choose which child lives or dies.
Or is it two kids with one body? I’m confused. They said it was conjoined twins, but then talked as if there was only one baby.
How bout the kid born with 3 arms? The parents had the third one removed.
I totally would have tought it to rock climb.
What if one head happens to be mentally deficient? Does the removal of the head constitute “abortion”?
[quote]SirPhisticated wrote:
With todays technology there’s no way a woman can give birth to a child with two heads without knowing it first. In my opinion you’re an egoistic idiot, if you don’t choose an abortion, if you know the child will be severely disabled or retarded.
I may be a cynical asshole but that’s my opinion…
[/quote]
Most conjoined twins are born into the third world or whose parents have no access to pre-natal care. Some parents may also be religious fundamentalists who believe every sperm is sacred and even a genetic “abomination” is precious to the Lord.
I am a mother of 17 year old identical twin boys, who are very strong and healthy. I shudder to think of even a remote possibility that this could have happened during my pregnancy, because in retrospect, I probably would abort. Every time I see conjoined twins, I get the heebie-jeebies. No. it’s not a disease, but it is the combined feelings of shock, sorrow, disgust and fascination with a touch of chills and nausea.
Hensel twins
http://members.tripod.com/~midnightwill/twins.html
What do you do … don’t know, it certainly is weird. But not for the twins, it is the only life they know.
You raise the child as it is. It’s not a hard question. We have a duty to our children. And these children are entitled to life, just as any other human person is. It’s no different than raising a child with a handicap.
What would you do if your child was severely disabled? Here’s the right answer:
Where’s Rosey Greer when you need him?
[quote]Kailash wrote:
Or is it two kids with one body? I’m confused. They said it was conjoined twins, but then talked as if there was only one baby.[/quote]
What makes a whole person?
No way. Wouldn’t that be murder, anyway?