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The man in the article was a Civil Servant, married with two children, and, had an IQ of 75
Pictures of his brain scans are in the article, but I found another picture of his scans to post on here .. his scans are on top and bottom of the left side of the picture..
The "almost no brain" is misleading. The brain tissue is there, just compressed. That is an entirely different situation from total absence of entire areas of the brain from birth.
Location: 23.7 million to 162 million miles North of Venus
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Quote:
Originally Posted by suzy_q2010
The "almost no brain" is misleading. The brain tissue is there, just compressed. That is an entirely different situation from total absence of entire areas of the brain from birth.
Most of what is seen in the scans is the ventricles, not brain tissue. Having just a "thin sheet of actual brain tissue" would probably qualify as having "almost no brain"
From the Reuters link in that article..
Quote:
Scans of the 44-year-old man's brain showed that a huge fluid-filled chamber called a ventricle took up most of the room in his skull, leaving little more than a thin sheet of actual brain tissue.
Quote:
So the researchers did a computed tomography (CT) scan and another type of scan called magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). They were astonished to see "massive enlargement" of the lateral ventricles -- usually tiny chambers that hold the cerebrospinal fluid that cushions the brain.
The baby in the OP is not completely without brain mass, nor is limited to just having a brain stem. That baby does have some brain matter. He has the cerebellum, though it is not proper formed, and he has some cerebral cortex.
Most of what is seen in the scans is the ventricles, not brain tissue. Having just a "thin sheet of actual brain tissue" would probably qualify as having "almost no brain"
The normal cerebral cortex is really not very thick. The "thin sheet of actual brain tissue" is compressed brain tissue, not deficient brain tissue. The major effect of the extensive hydrocephalus in the scans shown is on white matter, which can be greatly affected with cognition still maintained. When hydrocephalus is treated, the white matter can recover to some extent and the "thin sheet" of cortex thicken.
See here for a comparison of hydrocephalus before and after a shunt is placed to relieve the increased pressure in the ventricles:
The baby in the OP is not completely without brain mass, nor is limited to just having a brain stem. That baby does have some brain matter. He has the cerebellum, though it is not proper formed, and he has some cerebral cortex.
I have not seen any scans of the child in the OP. From his diagnosis, there is apparently some cortex, but he does not have the cognitive ability his parents apparently think they see. He is not walking - that is a preserved primitive reflex mediated through the spinal cord. He is babbling, but I do not hear what his parents think they hear. Without more information, I cannot tell if he can see or hear.
Last edited by suzy_q2010; 10-08-2015 at 01:49 AM..
Location: 23.7 million to 162 million miles North of Venus
23,451 posts, read 12,487,658 times
Reputation: 10435
Quote:
Originally Posted by suzy_q2010
The normal cerebral cortex is really not very thick. The "thin sheet of actual brain tissue" is compressed brain tissue, not deficient brain tissue. The major effect of the extensive hydrocephalus in the scans shown is on white matter, which can be greatly affected with cognition still maintained. When hydrocephalus is treated, the white matter can recover to some extent and the "thin sheet" of cortex thicken.
See here for a comparison of hydrocephalus before and after a shunt is placed to relieve the increased pressure in the ventricles:
I have not seen any scans of the child in the OP. From his diagnosis, there is apparently some cortex, but he does not have the cognitive ability his parents apparently think they see. He is not walking - that is a preserved primitive reflex mediated through the spinal cord. He is babbling, but I do not hear what his parents think they hear. Without more information, I cannot tell if he can see or hear.
Interesting link, thanks for posting it.
As far as Jax walking, he's too young to walk yet. Even if he were normal then it would probably be another month or two, or so, before he would begin walking. If he ever does walk on his own he would no doubt be much farther behind other kids his age.
I agree with the babbling, but I know often when very young kids babble if there is a sibling close to the same age the parents often ask the sibling to translate. It's possible that since the parents have been spending a great deal of time with Jax that 'they' can understand the babble he's saying (just a guess on that anyway). I don't know if he's been tested for hearing and sight but I'm guessing they probably did have those test done. Even if he weren't tested, as far as hearing, he may react to sudden noises or to their voices (without medical testing it would be much easier to know about hearing over seeing).
The time to make that decision has past; the only way now to 'let him go' would be to withdraw the feeding tube and withholding food to a child - would be VERY hard for a parent.
I imagine that there might be times in the future where decisions may have to be made. I'm unclear as to how he can regulate anything in his own body if there is very little brain?
It's one thing to be a helpless baby; and another to be a helpless toddler; middle schooler and then adult.
I hope for HIS sake that he doesn't live long enough to really suffer.
Withdrawing the feeding tube could result in weeks of watching the little guy waste away. No parent would ever want to do that. Even if you were certain in your logical brain that he couldn't feel anything, it would rip you apart inside to do that. Short of euthanasia, which is illegal, they would be left with starvation.
At this point, it is what it is, and all they can do is make the best of it, which it appears they are trying to do.
He does not appear to be suffering. Those that are donating are doing so willingly, and these people aren't hurting anybody.
I hope he doesn't live long enough to suffer either.he and his family have been through enough.
Put me in the "just because you can doesn't mean you should" camp. I'm 40, trying to conceive #1, and faced with this we'd abort. Sorry, but there it is. As eager as we are to have a child, I can't imagine that kid having any QOL. I think the more humane thing would have been to abort.
He was expected to die shortly after birth. Maybe that's why she didn't choose to abort.
He was expected to die shortly after birth. Maybe that's why she didn't choose to abort.
Still doesn't make sense to me. If you're carrying a baby that is expected to die shortly after birth, why put yourself through the rest of the pregnancy and childbirth, which carry risks to the mother as well? I'd still abort under those circumstances. My husband (who is very pro-life) even agrees with me on that one.
He was expected to die shortly after birth. Maybe that's why she didn't choose to abort.
They quite clearly state that they're conservative Christians, so abortion was not an option. I'm not making a judgment call, they have a right either way. But they never considered abortion an option for that reason.
Granted, not exactly the same situation, other than the question of quality of life.
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