Do you think this is a good reason not to have kids?

Question

first reason : i got vitiligo, heres is a pic :(this is not me ) but it looks like that anyways http://www.bagofnothing.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/bwthomasap.jpg

i have been with this all my life and it slowly eats your real skin color , i dont wanna tell my daughter or son that is going to be social outcast , and that he cannot play out in the sun because light damages his/her skin , believe me this disease is social suicide! and i know that there is a really big probability that my offspring is going to have this disease on their genes and i think i would be sad that my kids would be seen as "different" and go through h**l at school! i think i would adopt what do you think of all this?

Answer 1

If that is the ONLY reason you don't want to have children of your own, you might want to talk to a doctor to see what the chances of you passing the condition on to your children is.  S/he might be able to give you better advice than we can.   And if you adopted children, they may have a "difference" that would cause the other kids to pick on them.  Kids are brutal little creeps.  Anyone who's survived high school knows that.

Answer 2

It's totally your decision.

But I feel the same way - I wouldn't have children if I was going to pass on a genetic disease to them. I just don't think it's fair.

Answer 3

Having or not having a child is a personal decision for each couple.   You may want to check on are what the actual genetic probabilities are of your passing this on to a child are.  I did a quick net search and saw an article http://emedicine.com/derm/topic453.htm saying that a tendency towards the disease may be inherited but the disease itself is not and that there are treatments that can stop it.   Stats in that article were that 1-2% of the population (1-2 in 100) had the disease and only 30% of those people had the skin symptoms however you probably know alot more about the disease and the available treatments and support groups than I do.  One thing for sure there are many children desperately needing good adoptive parents.  

It seems this has been a very difficult problem for you.  I hope you are getting all the care available to help with the disease.

Answer 4

Charly García has bitiligo...is a Argentinean singer and is a masse's idol.

But, whenever your reasons are, I think is your ultimate decision, since you have been suffer the disease by yourself.

Answer 5

You don't need any reason besides you own choice about whether or not to have kids.

Personally, to me the skin pigmentation condition you showed looks no worse or better than many others (psoriasis or rosacresia (sp?), for example).

However, I'm not the one who has to live with it, you are and you make your own decisions.

But if I can just say ~ if something like this is 'social death' in your circle, you might want to find some friends who have more depth of character and who are not so superficial and judgemental about something purely physical.

Best wishes :-)

Answer 6

Yes and no.  By the time you have children a cure/treatment could be found.   So if that is the only reason you don't want children I would say no- its not a good reason.   I don't want to minimize or trivialize your problem but its a mild disability anyway.  You could adopt.  

However, if you don't feel you can devote yourself 100% to parenting for the 20 years or so it takes to grow a child into a secure successful adult then don't have children.

Answer 7

If you want to have children naturally, you should have them. As long as you care for them and love them and let them pursue their interests. That is the most important thing.

Everyone is different, most people have disorders, internal or external. Minor or major. He or she will not be friendless. He or she may have some doors closed to him or her. But there is nothing stopping your child from having a productive and satisfying life. But if you feel that this disorder is so socially and emotionally crippling that you do not want your children to go through it, by all means adopt. There are plenty of children out there who would love to be loved by someone who is as caring as you are.

Good luck with parenting!

Answer 8

If you want to adopt children, I hope you will consider being more accepting of yourself and adjust your anger at your congenital bad break, as you see it.  I am not sure if I was female that I would ever close the door on the possibility of having my own biological child. My advice, I have read the other responders,  would be to consult a competent physician who is schooled in the features of your problem not just medical expertise in vitiligo.  I agree with the remarks that you are the ultimate arbiter regarding child birth by you.  Hope you choose well and you are intelligent enough to make the decision without some guy on the Internet attempting to dissuade you from your childbrith decision.

Answer 9

To have or not have children is a highly personal decision.  However, I don't think that what you are saying is a valid excuse for not having kids.

LOTS of people with far worse illnesses and disabilities...they still choose to have chilldren and they love them regardless of what happens.

Vitiligo didn't hurt Michael Jackson... he is still extremely famous despite it all.

Answer 10

Vitiligo is common among blacks. I am not sure if it is hereditary. I have a few friends with it and none of their other family members have it. What makes you think your children would have it? Did your parents have it; I never saw it run thru families.

Answer 11

Click your heels three times and say, "Toto,  I don't think we're in Kansas anymore".  lol.  Keep up with times.  In less than five years, probably Singapore first, you'll get to drink a nice simple genetic tagging tea, so to say, and your skin cells will gradually replace themselves with a perfect rendition.  It's being done, just hung up in trails and religious fanatics' anti-stem cell crusade.  In the meantime, scope out the website Clinicaltrails.gov and keep your eyes open for free clinical trials related to this condition.  Those trials will be genetic.  So, live long, prosper and breed like beautiful little black rabbits to your heart's content.  These therapies are going to be CHEAP.  niiiiiiiice.  : )

Answer 12

If you want to forgo procreation for whatever reason, it's entirely up to you.