By David Lohr

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(Continued)

Dr. Benjamin Wilfond, a specialist in pediatric bioethics at Seattle Children's Hospital, said he understands the decision to allow the surgery.  "In this case, being short is a benefit to the child.  There are other parents that make decisions to make their children taller because that may be a benefit to the child.  And so I think what all these cases have in common is the intention to help the child," he said.

Ashley's parents also defended their decision in a brief statement they posted on the Internet this past week:

"Ashley is doing well, healthy, happy, and lovingly cared for.  The 'Ashley Treatment' is intended to improve our daughter's qulaity [sic] of life and not to convenience her caregivers.  Providing our daughter with this treatment was an easy decision since the benefits by far outweigh the risk and short-term discomfort associated with the surgery."

The controversy surrounding the case arose this past October, when an American pediatric journal published an account of the surgery.  Since then, the case has continued to gain national attention.  While the debate over the ethics of the "Ashley Treatment" is likely to continue for some time, it is not yet known whether or not this case has set a precedent for similar surgeries.

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