Ethical issues in neurodevelopmental disabilities

Ethics concerns itself with the search for the good and right option when one faces a choice about a potential action. In persons with significant neurodevelopmental disabilities, clinical ethics has concentrated on such pragmatic issues as justice (the means and measures by which resources are allocated) and informed consent. However, recent papers relevant to this topic have addressed more fundamental issues that underlie our entire approach to the field as a whole. These issues include the moral status of the disabled, the concept of "quality of life," our attitudes toward the disabled, the elements of competence and its evaluation, and models for decision making. This review highlights recent papers on these topics and assesses their impact on ongoing ethical debates.