Parents: Ontario hospital withheld treatment from disabled girl
April 15th, 2009
From the Toronto [Ontario] Star, Global News Canada:
The parents of Annie Farlow, an infant who died at an Toronto hospital in 2005, are pressing a claim before the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal alleging that their daughter received inadequate care because the hospital withholds life-saving treatment from infants with disabilities.
Barbara and Tim Farlow say their daughter, who was born with Trisomy 13, was admitted to Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children with breathing problems but did not receive proper care because a “do not resuscitate” order was issued without their knowledge or consent.
The Farlows’ concerns are similar to those raised by the Wallace family last week, who alleged that staff members at the same hospital suggested that they stop feeding their daughter Kaylee and let her starve because she has a rare brain disorder. Jason Wallace said he was told that the hospital had to consider how much money Kaylee’s care might cost.
Said Barbara Farlow, “If it’s the case that we want … that policymakers want to develop policies that basically restrict infants with disabilities from receiving appropriate medical care, I think we need to discuss that as a society.”
Lawyers at the Hospital for Sick Children sought a dismissal of the Farlows’ application for a hearing before the tribunal. A decision is expected next month.
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The infant with predicted disabilities lives the most fragile of human lives. The fate of our child rested in the hands of the physicians and health care providers. Unilateral treatment decisions and the absence of our input into or awareness of these decisions caused a double tragedy. We were denied both a chance to prolong Annie’s life and a plan for her to die a dignified and peaceful death with her loving family by her side.
– Prenatal DNA test raises both hopes and worries — Canadian Medical Association Journal
(Photo from Toronto Star)
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