I have it on impeccable authority that a 4 year old child (boy) weighing 45 kilos (that's 99 lbs or over 7 stone) has been admitted to a local hospital.
He is very ill.
Without writing streams of vituperation against the parents is there anything that can be done?
In a parallel case I know of a child died of malnutrition having been fed only on 'rice milk' and an attempted prosecution failed.
Should we, as individuals try to get the law changed and if so, how? And what should the ne law be?
2006-12-27 16:12:32 · 17 answers · asked by DavidP 3 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
Well in some extreme cases it could be a hormone imbalance? As 45kg for a four year old is horrific! I do believe the parents are responsible!! I do believe the laws could educate people regarding diet! I heard of a mother who used to puree fried nuggets to feed her four month old child. In my mind that is obscene ... as fruit and veg should be the starting of foods. People need to be educated ... people need to understand the importance of diet and what is healthy! The law should protect the child! Malnutrition and Obesity are failings on the parents side, as a child until the age of 16 is not responsible enough to make their own decissions. They could perhaps fine parents ... and make them attend a session where they show them shocking footage of kids dying ... health issue they would have etc. Its a tough one, but I think the general outlook for bringing up kids is ridiculous. Many parents reckon that its the governments job to educate kids re diet, discipline etc .... that has to be changed. As its the first three years which are vital to a childs upbringing. I reckon a fine, of sort, as it is a form of abuse!! This is a subject which really gets me going .... as I believe you feed the child in order to feed their body, mind and soul! Parents are basically too lazy to cook proper meals for their kids! Also a lot of parents are very young, and don't really care!!
2006-12-27 20:45:34 · answer #1 · answered by lynne 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is a whole lot of weight for a child of that age, but it is impossible for anyone who doesn't know the details of the situation to know if it is neglect or not.
First, if a kid has parents with a giant skeleton that kid will likely have a giant skeleton which will not only be destined to grow even more "giant" but which will make the kid hungrier than a slighter child would be.
There are medical and psychiatric illnesses that make people do something like eat compulsively, and if food is withheld they may actually be so uncomfortably hungry it is painful to them and to their parents to watch.
Children who have parents who are extremely heavy because of uneducated eating habits may be overweight because the parents don't know any better when it comes to what normal and healthy eating habits are.
Without knowing the details of this little boy's situation and medical conditions, etc., nobody should jump to the conclusion that his weight is caused by neglect.
That weight is so bizarre I can't help but wonder if it is caused by nothing more than other medical conditions (and is a symptom of some other health problem rather than the cause of it).
2006-12-27 17:25:33 · answer #2 · answered by WhiteLilac1 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My 3.5 year old weighs about 25 kilos and she measures 109cm (the height of 5-year old according to clothing labels). A 4-year old that weighs 45kilos sounds clinically obese to me.
As for the individuals... i have become thick-skinned to people that feed their kids on junk. I have become thick-skinned to people that will only feed their kids on organic, vegetarian, lactose-free.
Baby foods are free of many things. As they grow up it is up to the parents how much hydrogenated fats, artificial colourings or monosodium glutamate those toddlers get in their system. The only thing i can do as an individual is to keep it out of my daughter. And no law will support me on that because it would cost the multi-nationals too much to alter their production processes. (although many companies have removed some of the above from their products).
2006-12-27 23:22:48 · answer #3 · answered by guzzlegob 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My little girl is 15 mon and is only like 20 but she eats and eats and the doc said she was fine... but i dont know what to say in your case.. she we changed the law.. if a child is malnutririton then the child should be taken away HOWEVER if the child is small that anouther story.. like mine...... she looks like a 9 month old and is 15 old.. it funny seeing her walk...
If the child is over wight like that four year old then there should be some law in place...that just lazzness of the parents leting the child eat so much to becume that big..
2006-12-27 16:23:36 · answer #4 · answered by Heather O 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Some people associate food with pleasure and as a reward. I don't think many parents would purposely hurt their child. These parents probably didn't think of what they were doing to their child and it went too far and now the poor child is sick. Cant really blame the parents if they are asking for help.
2006-12-27 21:25:06 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
ok i am guessing that the child has health problems because he is over weight not under...99 lbs is big for a 4 year old...and i think that it is child abuse....ever seen the muary shows with all the big kids...the parents are killing their children just in a slow drawn out way.however i am not sure what can be done about it.i am sure if anything can be done the DR will take care of it.they know what to do in abuse cases.
2006-12-27 16:18:05 · answer #6 · answered by noseyroseysillywillie 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
hmmm, u musta written the question wrong coz a 44 kilo 4 year old is one hell of a ....heavy kid! certainly isnt neglected- just the opposite!
also with the law side of things - changing the law wont change the situation - most children who are neglected are done so becoz most probably the parents have BIG problems (drugs, poor etcetc) and no law will get them to change their ways.
2006-12-27 22:34:26 · answer #7 · answered by all that jazz 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
45kg!!! im 16 and a rugby player and i only weigh 80kg, that child is serverly overweight, it would not surprise me if the child has developed type 2 diabetes without the parents knowledge. I think that that is irreversible, talk to the women who does, Honey We're Killing The Kids and find out.
2006-12-27 19:47:56 · answer #8 · answered by davidalanjones1990 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know if it is neglect, but just plain stupidity. Did you say that 45 kilos is 99 pounds? That is extremely large. If that is the case, then how large are the parents?
2006-12-27 16:23:42 · answer #9 · answered by garden_anne 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely its abuse! If this kid isn't a diabetic I would be extremely shocked. This kid is at risk for high blood pressure, cardiac issues, diabetes if he doesn't already have it. The only excuse the parents would have is if this poor kid has a medical condition or has had a reaction to medication causing the weight gain.
2006-12-27 17:28:34 · answer #10 · answered by Julia B 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋