
Thank you to Andrew Sullivan and Joe McGinniss, two of the world's finest journalists, for linking to my interview with this MD.
To clarify an important point: "Pediatric specialist" is a term that the doctor wished to use in order to not further identify his sub-speciality. I agreed to do so. He is NOT a pediatrician. He is NOT an OB/GYN. With all the nut jobs out there in the world, I was content to let him choose the moniker "specialist". He actually has many, many more years of training than a medical doctor. If you read his words carefully, you can probably discern his speciality. It's not that hard!
If you never have to meet a doctor in his shoes, consider yourself very lucky. This man speaks from 30 years of experience in the trenches, treating horrific things in pediatrics that most people can't imagine (though I can because I volunteered in an inner-city NICU for five years and saw some pretty unspeakable things myself.) This doctor is eminently qualified to speak about Down syndrome, or I would never have asked his opinion. I've been a reporter for 25 years. I don't seek out unsound sources. Nor am I unfamiliar with pediatric medicine and its many sub-specialities: My son has endured 15 surgeries in all, one of them lasting seven full hours. He lived in neonatal intensive care for three months.
I admittedly interviewed the doctor with preconceptions. He answered me with no regard for what I, or anyone else, wants to hear. My job as a reporter was to listen to the doctor and print what he said. Whether or not I agreed.
Thank you for reading. And welcome to the conversation!