What works for one patient may not work for the next. If everyone is treated according to the way that everyone else has always been treated then it may be that no one ever gets any better. Every child should be treated so that they have the opportunity to have the best life possible. I definitely think that it would be unethical to not treat a child who I believe could minimize the consequences of a disabling condition. Every child deserves the chance to have the best life possible and if a medical professional has the ability to make sure that this happens then they should be bound to do just that. What constitutes a successful intervention for one child may not be viewed as being successful for the next, but they will find something that is successful for them. Every child has potential and it is up to the team of medical professionals and a child's parents to make sure that they are given every opportunity possible to reach it.

4. We are all unique and different and many of us have issues that are at the edge of "ballpark normalcy," or even out of it. How do you relate to what Lisa says about ballpark normalcy? Is there something about yourself that isn't quite "normal"? Are you doing anything to change any of those aspects of yourself you identify as being on the edge of normal?

I think that Lisa's idea of "ballpark normalcy" is a great concept. It is interesting to think about how often we as people get grouped into segments and then are expected to behave in a certain way just because we are member of that group. So often we forget that people...

No two people are alike and so they shouldn't be treated that way.
I feel that there are many things about me that are not "normal" in the traditional sense of the word. Although I may not be normal according to the textbooks, I feel that I am very normal. I live my life doing the things that make me happy and do not try to conform to what everyone else thinks. I pride myself in being a unique person and hope to always remain that way. If I go through life being who I want to be then I have a great chance of living a very happy and fulfilled life. Not everyone likes to do the same things. There are things that I like to do that my friends do not and vice versa. This is what makes life interesting. If everyone did the same things all the time, every day then life would be very boring. Diversity is what makes life interesting. It is always fascinating to see who other people do things differently from me. This can be a great learning process in that sometimes I find new ways to do things by watching others.

I can't say that I am doing anything to change any of the aspects of myself that I see as being on the edge of normal, because these are the things that I see as being what makes up me. I like who I am and would not want to change any of those things. There are things that I would like to improve upon but nothing that I would change. If I changed any of the things that made up me, then it wouldn't be me anymore. I would loose some of my individuality and become a bigger part of the bigger group.