Update: May 6, 2008

DRW has received a number of requests for information about ways hospitals can help protect the rights of people with disabilities.  For a general example, please review the following policies created by the hospital that performed the original procedure to see how they have incorporated the perspective of people with disabilities into their ethics committee, and what safeguards they have put in place to ensure court orders are obtained before sterilizing or limiting the growth of children with disabilities. For answers to specific questions or to get further information on how you can get involved, please contact DRW at 1-800-562-2702 or 1-800-905-0209 TTY.

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May 2007

Many people with disabilities have expressed great concern over the use of invasive medical procedures used to keep a young child with disabilities small.  As reported at great length, parents of a six-year old girl named Ashley asked doctors at Seattle Children’s Hospital to give Ashley high doses of hormones, and remove her breast buds and uterus.

Pursuant to its PADD federal mandate, the Washington Protection and Advocacy System (WPAS) used its federally granted access authority to initiate an investigation into the use of the “Ashley Treatment.” 

The investigation revealed that legal the rights of the child were violated when the hospital involved proceeded with the hysterectomy portion of the treatment without a court order first being obtained.

The hospital acknowledges its mistake and has agreed to implement many procedures to prevent similar legal violations from happening in the future.

Please read the WPAS Investigative Report Regarding the “Ashley Treatment” for more information about what happened to Ashley and how to prevent it from happening to other children with disabilities.

This investigative report is a first step.  Included in the Executive Summary is a list of Next Steps for our advocacy efforts.  We hope to work collaboratively with the disability community in pursuing these activities.

See the links below for the appendices to the full report and the May 8, 2007 Press Release regarding the investigation.

Investigative Report Appendixes A - J

Investigative Report Appendixes K - T

Press Release

If you would like to be included on our  "Ashley Treatment" email listserv, please contact Jessica McDaneld to be added to the list.

To view the documents linked on this page, your computer must have Adobe Reader. To download a free install, please click here.

To request these documents in an alternative or accessible format, please contact the DRW Administrator.