Ashley is a 9-year-old girl who has static encephalopathy — a severe brain impairment. She cannot walk or talk. She cannot keep her head up, roll over, or sit up by herself. She is fed with a tube. Her parents call her "Pillow Angel," since she stays right where they place her, usually on a pillow. Her parents say they feared that their angel would become too big one day — too big to lift, too big to move, too big to take along on a family outing. And so they decided to keep her small. The treatment, known as...
