This is from the 19th so there is probably something newer… hopefully not bad…
[quote]
etaiwannews.com/Taiwan/Socie … 100447.htm
Chances not good for little girl in coma, says Taichung doctor
2005-01-19 / Taiwan News, Staff Reporter / By Shih Hsiu-chuan
The four-year-old girl who was transferred to a hospital in Taichung after being refused treatment in Taipei last Tuesday took a turn for the worse yesterday, according to the physician treating her at a hospital in central Taiwan.
The girl’s doctor Lee Ming-chung said yesterday afternoon that her brain stem and brain wave functions had deteriorated and chances for any improvement were slowly eroding.
At a press conference yesterday, Lee said there was little cause for optimism. The girl’s coma was still a three on the Glasgow Coma Scale, the poorest reading possible indicating she could not move, see or talk in response to stimulation, her cranial pressure remained too high, and her pupils continued to be dilated, Lee said.
When reporters wondered if the girl was could already be considered brain dead, Lee hesitated and then said, “I can’t exclude this possibility.”
An examination of her brain waves showed that there was stagnation, indicating that her brain was slowly losing its functions, the doctor said.
He also said her brain stem response was weak, reducing the possibility of keeping her alive. The stem is the body’s main life support system, controlling the heartbeat, breathing, body temperature and blood pressure, according to Lee.
No matter how bad the situation appeared, however, Lee insisted his team would do its best until the end.
The girl’s case has also refocused attention on local domestic violence.
According to the Child Welfare League Foundation, the incidence of domestic violence increased 1.42 times from 2001 to 2003. On average, four children die of abuse or as part of their parents’ suicide attempts every month in Taiwan, and 98 percent of them are under 12 years of age.
In addition, the number of children and teenagers asking for protection grew from 6,059 in 2000 to 8,013 in 2004, a nearly 10 percent rate of grow, the Child Welfare League Foundation said.[/quote]