It's not an uncommon strategy for clinicians to use questions like that to get parents or patients, who are dealing with an inordinate amount of stress, to let down their defenses with the intention of directing them to self-assess their resolve. The author may be able to take care of her child now, but how about when he's 18 years old, when his outbursts may start to hurt others. There are some families who are capable of overcoming the challenges of raising a developmentally disabled child to adulthood (such as this family) and there are some who can't. I've had patients break down and cry when asked pointedly challenging questions like this, however ultimately, this can be a helpful process for the parties involved when applied correctly.

I suspect that the author and others here have missed the true, veiled purpose behind the question, however that does not detract from the overall aims of her article or the clinician. In the end, the clinician's prodding has led to a led to a deeper raison d'être for both the author and the reader.