An 11-year-old girl is breathing on her own after being taken off life support. Is this meaningful? Possibly – but I’m doubtful:
Some patients with severe brain stem injuries may partially recover from a persistent vegetative state, but they rarely recover fully enough to communicate, feed themselves and live ordinary lives, Dr. Steve Williams, chief of rehabilitation medicine at Boston Medical Center, told the Globe. But he said recovery is more likely with children than adults.
“There’s more plasticity to their brain. There’s potentially other areas of the brain that can take over,” he said.
