Girl who feels no pain

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&ncid=519&e=8&u=/ap/20041101/ap_on_re_us/painless_child

Another new article on her. There have been several of them this year, and I know one of you posted at least one of them this year, but for those curious about her genetic disorder, here it is again.

When you think about it, she's pretty much the closest thing to a "mutant" (of X-Men fame) as you can get. Proof that being a mutant ain't all peaches and cream. There's a reason why we are the way we are.

[Kuja's Light]

This sort of thing can have its advantages and disadvantages. Since she can't feel pain, she'll feel much more confident and study, meaning through the years she'll become very durable and the like.

Remember, mind over matter. the stronger you feel you are, you will be.

[Beguiled]

Oh wow...poor kid. That must be really scary for her parents though. *shudders* She could get seriously hurt and she wouldn't feel it. Just....wow...

[ZephyrSamba]

*wince* I remember hearing about this condition several years back; I wish I could remember the details more clearly but the overall point was that these folks often have significantly shorter life spans and a wealth of associated medical problems not just for the obvious 'untreated major injury' reasons -- being unable to feel pain means they don't even know when to, say, shift their weight if they've been standing in one position too long; eventually their joints and bones go through all sorts of degenerative stages simply because of the strain, crippling the victim or (in the case study example I'd read about) even leading to fatal infections...It's sad and amazing (and scary!) to consider the sheer variety of things that can go wrong with someone, isn't it?

[True Noir]

Hehe... I just printed this article out a couple minutes ago for a report. I think it's really interesting to feel no pain. I guess it could kind of suck. Actually, yeh it does suck. Poor kid. :(

[Shnay]

Like other people, my first reaction was to think of this disorder as giving someone real-life super powers. But, once it really sinks in, I realized all of the tragic things it could bring aboutthroughout the person's life. People with diseases like cancer often ask why it had to happen to them. Imagine how amplified that feeling would be if you had a genetic disorder as rare as this one.

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

In the full article, they said that once this boy poked her with a stick and asked her if she felt it. "We're not going to experiment with Ashlyn," the teacher told him.

While I find the teacher's comment unintentionally amusing, it shows that some kids can still be pretty big jackasses when it comes to people who are different. Ah, childhood. I certainly don't miss this aspect of it at all.

[Chad Bonin]

Man, you put her and that Russian/German/I Can't Remember But From Around There child that has twice the strength of an adult, and you've got the beginnings of some new mutant/metahuman team 20 years down the road...

[Kenshin]

whoa...

[True Noir]

Man, you put her and that Russian/German/I Can't Remember But From Around There child that has twice the strength of an adult, and you've got the beginnings of some new mutant/metahuman team 20 years down the road...
There was a child with twice the strength of an adult? Whoa...was that an old article?

[Lord Dalek]

Wow, she's just like that James Bond villain from a few years back.

[Kury Wagner]

There was a child with twice the strength of an adult? Whoa...was that an old article?Yeah, in Germany! It's so cool, it's like a real mutant!



Note: Mutants are cool, because the X-Men rock. . . Plus, I'm soooo not PC. ;) So :0P

[Phantasm]

Does she feel emotional pain? If not then...good for her...

[Czar Gato]

That's really bizarre. Imagine all the diseases and deficiencies that her family couldn't detect because she can't feel the pain of it. She must be constantly going to the doctor's office.

[Caffeine King]

Does she feel emotional pain? If not then...good for her...
Of course she does, every human feels emotion.

Man, you put her and that Russian/German/I Can't Remember But From Around There child that has twice the strength of an adult, and you've got the beginnings of some new mutant/metahuman team 20 years down the road...
Are you talking about that infant who was born like a mini Terminator? :sweat:

[Frank Castle]

Does she feel emotional pain? If not then...good for her...If I didn't feel emotional pain I wouldn't feel very human. There's pros and cons to emotional pain.

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

She definitely has emotions. Look at the accompanying pictures; she smiles and has fun like any other kid.

[cross blues]

While I find the teacher's comment unintentionally amusing, it shows that some kids can still be pretty big jackasses when it comes to people who are different. Ah, childhood. I certainly don't miss this aspect of it at all.
kids are people too. there are bad parts, but there is good too...

"And when teacher's aide Sue Price puts ice in Ashlyn's chili at lunch, her dozen classmates get ice in theirs too."

that made me smile. she can still feel things, she just can't feel pain. once she is old enough to fully understand, it shouldn't be as much of a problem. with frequent doctor visits, she should be able to live a fairly normal life. still... I can't imagine what that must be like for her. :sad: :(

does anyone know how much shorter their lifespans are?

[Youko Recca]

So she's like Rick. Guess now I know how to handle his character better.

There are some huge advantages and disadvantages to this alright.

[True Noir]

So she's like Rick. Guess now I know how to handle his character better.

There are some huge advantages and disadvantages to this alright.
Definately. Man, I would be paranoid all the time of getting sick and such from cancer and all sorts of things if I didn't have check ups everyday.

One thing though... I could go skateboarding and do incredible tricks without really being worried about falling down and feeling the pain of a broken arm. Interesting....:gir:

[Romanesque]

One thing though... I could go skateboarding and do incredible tricks without really being worried about falling down and feeling the pain of a broken arm. Interesting....:gir:

And you could also recieve crippling injuries that never would have happened if you could have sensed the pain building... or, you'd fail to seek treatment for injuries you don't know know you have. Seems to be more problems than benefits, here.

--Romey

[Red X Unmasked]

When you think about it, she's pretty much the closest thing to a "mutant" (of X-Men fame) as you can get. Proof that being a mutant ain't all peaches and cream. There's a reason why we are the way we are.Her, and the Russian girl with X-Ray vision.
http://english.pravda.ru/science/19/94/377/11797_phenomenon.html

And while we're on the subject of these "oddities"...

Can you see me now?
http://techpolicy.typepad.com/tpp/2004/06/invisible_cloak.html

Cry me a river....
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/latestnewsstory.cfm?storyID=1293717&thesection=news&thesubsection=world

Those're what I call magnetic personalities...
http://mirrors.meepzorp.com/thestar.com.my/magnetic/

Girls who feel no pain, girls with X-ray vision, invisible cloaks, Magnetos, girls who cry because their face is disfigured due to the fact that they are crying acid which is burning their face....i swear to God we'll be living in the Marvel universe in the next 10 years...that is if the Mutant ants haven't killed us yet:
http://australia.news.designerz.com/giant-mutant-ant-colony-found-in-australia.html

[Kury Wagner]

Girls who feel no pain, girls with X-ray vision, invisible cloaks, Magnetos, girls who cry because their face is disfigured due to the fact that they are crying acid which is burning their face....i swear to God we'll be living in the Marvel universe in the next 10 years...
That'd be so cool! You know also about the scientists that created webs, right? (if not http://www.newsmax.com/articles/?a=2000/5/18/222744) Heh, I think it'd cool if life were more like a comic book. Actually, me and my sister have talked about this a few times, she thinks it'd be a little too creepy with all the villains. . . But I think it'd be groovy! :anime:

[Russkafin]

Does anyone still have the link to the story about the child with "super strength"? Also, wasn't there a story around the same time as the Invisibilty Cloak, about scientists working on a teleportation device?

[PaQ]

Wow, reading that article, I feel bad about the poor girl and anyone else who has that health problem. There definitely are more negatives about that condition than positives, there's one thing to be invulnerable, but obviously she isn't, she just can't feel what happened.. The stress that must put on the family to watch everything she does practically to try to keep her safe.

[Bubblegum Girl]

That's is so weird. I never hear of a condition like that...