Boy without testicles not considered handicapped

[Susan (imported)]

http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/2007 ... ithout.htm

Monday, November 12, 2007

The China Post news staff

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- "Our days of misery have just begun."

So says a mother of a 12-year-old boy who has lost both testicles after he was sexually molested in August last year.

The identity of both mother and son was withheld.

In an exclusive interview with the mother, a resident of the county of Yunlin, the United Daily News reported yesterday that she is unable to get a certificate for her heavily handicapped boy, without which he receives no medical and living support.

Government agencies concerned have been contacted for help. No assistance can be given, thanks to the rigid rules governing the issuance of bodily handicap certificates.

The loss of a finger entitles one to government assistance, according to the rules. The loss of testicles does not.

Two neighbors drugged the boy, bound his scrotum, and raped him, the mother recalls.

His testes necrotized. After necrosis, which is the death of the tissues, the testicles were removed.

Both neighbors, the Huang brothers, were indicted for bodily damage and attempted murder. Prosecutors demanded forcible treatment of the brothers.

As the boy is afraid of retaliation, the mother had to move house to southern Taiwan, where she cannot find a job to support him and herself.

The trouble is that the loss of testes is not listed as a reason for obtaining a bodily handicap certificate.

Although doctors in charge certified the boy as a heavily handicapped person who needs hormone treatment until 60 years of age, no certificate can be issued to help the mother tide over the financial stringency.

"He appears like a six-year-old now," the mother was quoted as saying. "But why the child has to suffer so much?" she laments.

"All parents are happy watching their offspring grow," the mother adds. "But I just worry -- I don't know what to do -- when my son begins to know one day what he is."

He has lost virility forever.

[bagman (imported)]

Poor boy the decision was made for him by others he may never appreciate what the removal will mean to him, mother knows what these gnodes do and as a woman can see procreation would b living on in her sons offspring. For those of us who have had our gnodes harvested or removed do we consider ourselves handicapped? I doubt it many have longed for that state for years and have achieved it through many means, some have had it forced on them by others but by in large the gnodeless state is desireable for most who enjoy the results, calm, no troublesome libido, no dangerous urges etc.what do we think together?

[Batman (imported)]

Certainly the child is handicapped. He won't grow normally now, his body won't mature properly..

Pre-Adult and Post-Adult are too completely different things when it comes to castration. Also it wasn't voluntary, and there will most likely be mental issues from the trauma as well...

My question is why wouldn't he need hormone treatment AFTER 60?

Batman

[Paolo]

What do you expect from a culture that intentionally tries to poison children with their tainted exports?

[BossTamsin (imported)]

First, I wonder if the boy would be considered handicapped and eligible for state-covered HRT injections were he an American citizen.

Poor boy the decision was made for him by others he may never appreciate what the removal will mean to him, mother knows what these gnodes do and as a woman can see procreation would b living on in her sons offspring. For those of us who have had our gnodes harvested or removed do we consider ourselves handicapped? I doubt it many have longed for that state for years and have achieved it through many means, some have had it forced on them by others but by in large the gnodeless state is desireable for most who enjoy the results, calm, no troublesome libido, no dangerous urges etc.what do we think together?

Do not confuse the denizens of this board for the vast majority of those who lose their testes through no fault of their own. While many here seek to have theirs removed, and many enjoy being without them, I think the vast majority of people who have lost their testes involuntarily would agree that the child has had a grave injustice done to him, and by rights should be provided with HRT for life. If that means declaring him handicapped, then he's handicapped.

[JesusA (imported)]

What do you expect from a culture that intentionally tries to poison children with their tainted exports?

Taiwan is NOT China – though the Chinese certainly claim it.

[JesusA (imported)]

Keep in mind that this article is the work of journalists who probably have little or no idea of the real impact or frequency of castration. They hold only the popular view. The article is probably also translated from a Chinese original. I have looked for the story in the Chinese language press in Taiwan, but have yet to find it.

First of all, child molestiation IS a terrible crime and that this poor boy was castrated as a result of being molested is horrific. However, once we get through our immediate reactions of anger, sympathy, etc., we need to think more practically about what this will mean for him and how he and his mother should proceed.

I would first ask how many Taiwanese boys have lost both testicles to testicular cancer? Not many, but they do exist. How many Taiwanese boys have lost both testicles to accidents or trauma? Again, not many, but they do exist. How many Taiwanese males have Klinefelter Syndrome or Kallman Syndrome where their testicles do not function on their own? More, though probably still a small number. Taken in this larger context, though, the boy is not nearly so alone as the article implies. There are other Taiwanese males with no testicles or with non-functioning testicles.

He will be able to be pushed through puberty with regular testosterone injections, gel, or patches. He will probably have prosthetic testicles implanted once he reaches middle puberty so that he will look completely intact.

While he and his future wife will never be able to have biological children, adoption is relatively common in Taiwanese culture.

My biggest concern for him would be the long-lasting effects of the psychological trauma from both the rape and the castration, which is exacerbated by articles such as this one. He needs reassurance that he can live a mostly normal life and that most of those around him need never know that he was castrated as a child.

I would agree that the boy is not “handicapped,” though he certainly has a medical condition that will require long-term treatment. At twelve, he probably needs counselling as much as anything else.

It is not, as his mother is quoted saying, that, “He has lost virility forever.” Proper medication will give him virility. What he has forever lost is fertility.

[Batman (imported)]

He will be able to be pushed through puberty with regular testosterone injections, gel, or patches. He will probably have prosthetic testicles implanted once he reaches middle puberty so that he will look completely intact.

I would agree that the boy is not “handicapped,” though he certainly has a medical condition that will require long-term treatment. At twelve, he probably needs counselling as much as anything else.

I think that part of the point was/is that without being considered handicapped, he doesn't qualify for health insurance from the state. Therefore he won't be able to get the medications he needs to through puberty and onwards.

Batman

[JesusA (imported)]

I think that part of the point was/is that without being considered handicapped, he doesn't qualify for health insurance from the state. Therefore he won't be able to get the medications he needs to through puberty and onwards.

Batman

Taiwan, fortunately for the boy, is one of the countries with nearly universal government supported health care. Most Taiwanese citizens who are not covered are expatriates living abroad. There is zero cost for most treatments for the poor and a sliding scale above that, based on income.

Being judged "handicapped" would give him special status in school admissions and other services. As far as I can tell from my reading, he is eligible for full medical treatment regardless of handicapped status.

Here's a piece from the Taiwanese government website:

Health Insurance

In view of Taiwan’s rapidly growing medical care costs and rising number of elderly, the ROC government launched the National Health Insurance (NHI) program on March 1, 1995, to provide universal medical care. The NHI system incorporated the medical insurance coverage provided by Taiwan’s original 13 public health insurance plans and further extended the coverage to the 7.99 million citizens who were formerly uninsured, mainly the elderly, children, students, housewives, and the disabled. At the end of 2002, there were 21.87 million persons covered by the NHI program, or 96 percent of Taiwan’s total population of 23 million. Participation in the NHI program is mandatory for all ROC citizens and foreign nationals with Alien Resident Certificates who have resided in Taiwan for more than four months.

The coverage provided by the NHI program is very comprehensive and includes inpatient care, ambulatory care, laboratory tests, x-ray examinations, pharmaceuticals, dental services, traditional Chinese medicine, daycare for the mentally ill, and limited home health care. Four preventive services?adult health examinations, pre-natal examinations, well-baby checkups, and Pap smear examinations are also covered under the NHI program, as are several expensive treatments such as cocktail therapy (for treating HIV-positive patients) and organ transplants.

http://www.gio.gov.tw/taiwan-website/5- ... 04_13.html

[Allen (imported)]

An additional point of concern for myself is the attitude of the mother. (and this too may be an aspect of the translation process) She sees her son as "handicapped" and and almost mourns as if a death has occurred. Surely her 12-yr-old son can read (or be read to) and is aware of her attitude. And I can almost assume her treatment of him on a daily basis would also reflect this attitude. How is that affecting the self-image/esteem of her son at this highly-critical developmental stage? How would it not be influential to his development and future confidence? She too may need counselling to help this boy develop into a healthy, mature individual.

Allen