Two videos that came across social media this week shared a related lesson about what can be learned from living through a difficult period: confidence.
Continue reading... December 10, 2013
How the little things a doctor does can make all the difference
While much of modern medicine emphasizes the science, what can make the biggest difference in quality care remains an art.
Continue reading... December 6, 2013
The simplest way to raise awareness about Down syndrome this holiday season
In 2007, I attended my first ever National Down Syndrome Congress conference. Campbell Brasington, a genetic counselor from Charlotte, North Carolina, shared the simplest way to raise awareness about Down syndrome and engage in medical outreach.
Continue reading... December 3, 2013
What to expect when you’re expecting: give the baby some gin?
A recent column collected medical advice written about pregnancy 100 years ago. It serves as a reminder for critical thinking about medical recommendations for pregnant moms.
Continue reading... November 27, 2013
Is non-directiveness in prenatal genetic testing a myth?: Gladwell’s Blink and implicit associations of Down syndrome
On Sunday, 60 Minutes profiled author Malcolm Gladwell on his new book about underdogs. In a previous book Blink, Gladwell explored how we think without thinking. His writing explains why some people laugh at the notion of non-directive counseling about prenatal testing.
Continue reading... November 26, 2013
Aldous Huxley and the Brave New World of prenatal genetic testing
In marking the 50th anniversary of the assassination of JFK, I also remembered the death on that same day of noted author C.S. Lewis. But, I failed to mention the death of another author whose best-known work is regularly referenced in reports about prenatal genetic testing.
Continue reading... November 25, 2013
“Any/Particular” critique of disability selective abortion: remembering Adrienne Asch
Over the weekend, an important voice in the discussion of the ethics of prenatal testing for disability fell silent. Adrienne Asch made critical contributions from a seemingly conflicted position: vigorously pro-choice but condemning of selective abortion for disability.
Continue reading... November 22, 2013
“We choose to go to the moon:” remembering John F. Kennedy, C.S. Lewis, the power of imagination, and choosing Down syndrome
Today we commemorate the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, a very sad day in our nation’s history. The words of President Kennedy, and the words of someone else who died that same day, share a wisdom about how we should make choices for our future.
Continue reading... November 21, 2013
Sweden: more Down syndrome prenatal testing, more selective abortion
That is the news out of Sweden: as prenatal testing for Down syndrome has expanded, there have been more abortions following a Down syndrome diagnosis. What do you think about the way this news was reported?
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