Erring on the Side of Life: Children with Rare Trisomy Conditions, Medical Interventions and Quality of Life

Erring on the Side of Life: Children with Rare Trisomy Conditions, Medical Interventions and Quality of Life

The prevailing viewpoint on children with rare trisomy conditions such as trisomy 18 (t18) and trisomy 13 (t13) is almost uniformly negative. Yet, case studies offer information about long-term survivors. What is missing in the discussion is an unbiased examination of surviving children within the context of necessary, rather than “aggressive”, medical interventions and overall quality of life. A move beyond palliative or comfort care must be an option for this population.