What is Neurofibromatosis
Neurofibromatosis is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder. Neurofibromatosis type I (NF-1), also known as von Recklinghausen syndrome, comprises, along with neurofibromatosis typ...
Join Now
|
Having children if you have NF. Why?
|
Watch this |
| View More Posts Ignore |
I’m not asking this question to be rude, mean, or to persecute the people who have, I’ve just always wondered why someone who knows they have NF would choose to have children.
We’re all on this message board for one reason; because we, or someone we know has NF. We all know that although life can be great, NF can make life a living hell. NF causes things like tumors, bumps, disfigurement, malformations, pain, embarrassment and countless other issues. If you hate NF, and the way it has affected your body and your life, then why would you choose to subject another living creature to the same torture you endure every day of your life? I realize that many people, for one reason or another, actually want to have children, but isn’t it being selfish to put your want to have children ahead of the need that child has for a disease free, pain free, humiliation free life? I also feel this dirties the gene pool and makes the problem worse. If hungry people breed, they just create more hungry people and make the problem worse. I know we can’t get rid of NF completely, because sometimes it’s a case of gene mutation, but shouldn’t we take measures to get rid of NF, but reducing the number of people who are born with NF? As I stated in the beginning of my post, I’m not trying to anger anyone, or be rude, I’ve just been curious about this for a while. I’ve seen other people make posts that hint at the fact that they don’t think NF should be bread, so I figured I would start a discussion. Posted on 02/11/09, 01:02 pm |
| 56 Replies | Most Recent | Add Your Reply |
| View More Posts Ignore |
I had 2 children before I was diagnosed with NF, one has it, one does not. I had 2 children after diagnosis. But I still didn't know how bad NF can be. Might be different if I had, but... Having said that, my youngest doesn't have NF, but was born with a cleft palate. Any time you have children, you kinda role the dice with what kind of birth defect they might have. I know people who carry no 'genetic defect' who have had children with Down's Syndrome or other major congenital health problems. I wouldn't trade any of my children. My life is much richer because of them. 
|
|
|
|
||
| View More Posts Ignore |
Besides, the more of us there are, the greater chance someone will listen to us. Dirty the gene pool? I have known idiots who have reproduced. No one told them they shouldn't. What about ugly people? Would you believe when my baby with cleft palate was born, the doctor told me I should have her steralized? Sheesh!
|
|
|
|
||
| View More Posts Ignore |
Maybe... because they want to. why not? Why do people color their hair? or do anything? Don't question other people's choices, you made your own, they too make their own personal choices.
There's really nothing to discuss here, people have kids NF or not because they want to. Not everyone sees NF as this horrific life-ruining entity that dominates every second of their life. Dirtying the gene pool... ok... trying to 'clean up' the gene pool is called eugenics, and that's some horrid, horrid stuff. If we as NFers go around telling other NFers to not have children, how are we going to defend ourselves when the general public says that to us, telling us to not trash the gene pool with our dirty genes? think about that. It wasn't too long ago people were steralized w/o their consent because they were seen as 'undesirable' to the society.
|
|
|
|
||
| View More Posts Ignore |
I think eugenics gets a bad rap because it's sometimes associated with racism, but if scientist are ever able to completely eliminate imperfections in the human race, that would be amazing! I would absolutely love to live in a world where all newborns are perfect. I'm not interested in passing on my genes so after I'm gone and after the next few generations are gone, the world could be full of people who are genetically perfect. No disease, no sickness, no dying a horrible death in a hospital. I hope science is heading there and I hope I see it in my lifetime.
|
|
|
|
||
| View More Posts Ignore |
Eugenics goes beyond racism it's discrimination based on a set of factors that are seen by a 'majority' as 'undesirable'. All of which, are arbitrary.
Too bad you won't be allowed to live in a world of generically-superior humans, so I guess you'll never get to experience that perfect world. Limited gene pool is a terrible thing in the long run. Not all genetic mutations are bad and genetic mutations are why people are so diverse. You can see what happens when people try to achieve perfection by selective breeding. Just look at pure-bred dogs/cats, certain breeds have common inherited diseases not see in other breeds. The only way to lessen the chance is to breed out... OH NO... not pure, how terrible... Mankind will be destroyed, one way or other, if we ever get to a point of achieving the 'perfect' human race. Maybe to get that perfect human race, scientists should stop looking for treatments/cures for diseases/disorders and just focus on a the perfect mater human race. Forget wasting money on researching to help those people with defective genes, lets just eliminate them from the gene pool. Why bother finding treatment or cures for anything if we can simply eliminate it? I'm hope you are just trying to stir the pot, b/c if that's how you truly feel that's so sad.
|
|
|
|
||
| View More Posts Ignore |
I think i would much rather live in a world that accepts everyone for their difference that make us unique.... "perfect" would be boring and meaningless..... as far as im concerned i am not the one with the problem, the people out there who see only the "NF" are the ones with the problem. I'm still a person, not some hideous monster... I still have wants, needs and desires just like everyone else. I feel it is selfish of other people to say things such as i should not be allowed to have children... Is there a reason you keep bringing up contriversal topics?
|
|
|
|
||
| View More Posts Ignore |
Rent the movie Gattica. The most interesting part of that movie is the section in special features that shows all the people who would not be here if we had the tecnology you talk about.
|
|
|
|
||
| View More Posts Ignore |
Well said Mafrank, took the words right off my finger tips! Pefection is over rated and boring. And who would get to define "perfect" anyway? I think everyone has a purpose regardless of geneology.
Marah: some other movies -Remember "Logan's Run"? How about we get rid of everyone once they hit 30 or 40 years old? Or "Jurassic Park" -life will find a way. grnmnm: I always enjoy your point of view Hamby, WTF; Not a very supportive post.
|
|
|
|
||
| View More Posts Ignore |
When I had my son,i had no idea about NF and what all it caused... growing up in a household of 5 children,my NF was neglected because it was so mild and I never showed any severe signs other than scoliosis.Matter of fact my NF didn't get worse till after I had my son... perhaps its my hormones or my age... I sometimes ask why i went through with the pregnancy knowing now he has it but his is very mild too... Maybe if drs in my home town actually educated my mom on the disease more maybe she would've taken percautions and educated me on it... but like most of us have seen NF isn't a issue drs want to look into.I wouldnt trade my kiddo for the world... and I hope that when me and my fiance decide to have our baby we can have some gene testing done to make sure the baby doesn't get it... we're also going through serogate so it doesn't affect my body.I don't think we should wipe out the race of humans with NF to live in a world of silicone,botox and lypo it just isnt perfection... I can have my bumps removed... I can take meds for the NF but I wont stop living or doing things others do because i have NF.
|
|
|
|
||
| View More Posts Ignore |
I am 8 weeks pregnant as of today and I have NF. My husband and I already know the chances are 50/50 that our child will have it. We are willing to take that risk. We want to be parents. I have a very mild case of NF. You can hardly tell that i have it. I know the consquences of having a child with NF. I dealt with the stares at school,. i deal with the stares when my husband and i go out in public if i wear a short sleeve shirt. His parents both know that I have NF, they ask me questions about it as well.
I am almost 30 years old. I will be 30 in less than a month. We want kids. I am prepared that this child might have NF, whether it be mild or worse. I am lucky, i only have a learning disability because of the NF. I don't see NF as some horrible thing. You obviously don't have children or don't plan on having children. You shouldn't tell someone else that wants to have children just because they have NF that they shouldn't reproduce.
|
|
|
|
||
| First | Previous | Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 | Next | Most Recent | Add Your Reply |
