T. Euthanasia

Euthanasia: the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma. The practice is illegal in most countries.

Euthanasia is a very controversial subject. Should people have the choice to end their life due to certain circumstances? Mainly this is talked about for adults, but what about children? In Belgium, parliament is taking action. When Belgium legalized euthanasia in 2002 it excluded minors from the law. However, they have now passed a bill which makes it legal for minors. There are conditions to this though, the parents or guardians must consent and the child must be judged able to understand what euthanasia means.

A mother in Belgium who had a disease that slowly destroyed her nervous system sided with the legalization of euthanasia. Her 10 month old daughter was heavily sedated and withheld from food and water in her last few days of life.

Critics do question if children have the ability to make a decision for ending their lives.

An eighteen year old girl with Huntington’s disease lost her ability to walk, eat, or speak for herself. She still can think for herself, and when her mom explained to her and asked her about euthanasia she expressed that it is not a good thing.

It is easy to see how euthanasia is such a controversial topic; especially when it involves children losing their lives. However, for some people it may seem like an only option. If a person can fully understand and chose for euthanasia, they should be able to make that decision. However, when it comes to children that can’t make the decision for themself and are in very bad condition and going through a lot of pain, a parent or guardian should be able to choose. It is important to put yourself in the child’s shoes and think what kind of life are they living?