Re: Parent issues: Normal is What You Make of It

[Guest guest]

Gretchen,

Thank you for posting this MDA article from the archives. It's relevant to the

discussions recently regarding parenting as well as vaccinations. I appreciate

the respectful approach the article takes on the matter of having children

despite the risk of passing the disease.

I've never been faced with this issue personally, so I can't say for sure what I

would have done and it's very likely my viewpoint would have varied at different

stages of my life. However, I have observed that there are strong opinions

(both for and against) among those in the CMT community. In fact, one recent

post accused those with CMT who choose to bear children of 'satisfying their

instinct of procreation at all costs'. I personally found this commentary

incredibly offensive.

Are parents with diabetes similarly criticized for deciding to procreate? What

about those with heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, obesity, MS, retinitis

pigmentosa, cancer, mental illness, etc? In recent years, researchers have

learned that nearly all disease has a genetic link. There is, in fact, no

perfect DNA on the planet. We all are prone to disease and eventually die.

The decision to have children is a personal one and no one with CMT should be

criticized or belittled for exercising their right to bear children, despite our

own individual views. And, once this decision has been made, new parents-to-be

deserve nothing but our support, as this article demonstrates. So thank you!

[Guest guest]

,

I agree with you when you say there is no perfect gene. What if I were to say

that anyone who doesn't at least have 144 I.Q. like I have should not procreate?

No-one is perfect! Thanks for your post!

Dawn