Parents in Great Britain who had multiple cosmetic surgeries performed on their daughter, who has Down Syndrome, have generated a storm of criticism in the United Kingdom about the ethical basis for their decision.

By the time the girl reached age 5, she had already undergone surgery described by experts as "radical" and "painful," in an effort to make her appearance more "accepted" by her peers, according to reports in the British newspaper the Daily Mail.

The parents, charged by many with child abuse, defended themselves saying that their decision to alter their daughter's appearance was no different than having overly large ears pinned back, a surgery common for young boys.

Asserting that they were motivated by love and had debated the procedure for a year, the child's mother cited society's tendency to judge people solely on their appearance.

In the first procedure the girl's protruding tongue was reduced. In the second excess skin was removed from the inner corner's of her eyes and in a third surgery her protruding ears were addressed.

Other parents of Down Syndrome children contacted in the wake of the article said they were also considering plastic surgery to make their children appear more "normal."

Plastic surgeons in consultation with these parents spoke not only to issues of societal acceptance, but also addressed the children's sense of self-esteem as a vital aspect of their ability to cope and to function.

While stopping short of criticizing the parents, the UK Down's Syndrome Association did speak against surgery that alters an individual's appearance solely for the purpose of enhancing their degree of visual acceptability to society at large.