Obese children?

Question

what do you think about the boy who might be taken into care because he is so obese

Answer 1

Well I feel very sad for him. He is only 8 years old. I don't think the answer is to put him into care...what will that do to him psychologically? He doesn't deserve to be taken away from his home.

However, something DOES need to be done about his weight. Maybe the grandmother would handle it better if he lived with her for a while...I'm not sure.

Perhaps the health visitor should be seeing him once a week...even if she comes to the house and educate HIM about food and how he is slowly killing himself.

His mother has depression so I really understand how hard it is for her...I have had depression too.

I think this family needs INTENSIVE support to help this child lose weight.

If he is taken into care then HE is being punished and he is sooo very young.

The thing is, his mother having depression is unable to meet his needs. Social services should maybe do the shopping for her and the sister or grandmother can help with preparing the food.

Answer 2

often obesity in anyone (adults or kids) is due to emotional difficulties, they eat their feelings so to speak. Therefore putting him into care would not help him at all, infact he would probably be so scared that he'll want to eat more and have an equivialnt to a breakdown...fo an 8 year old. The whole family need help though, i do agree that the mother loves him, which often means saying no, which is hard, but we often have to be cruel to be kind to those we love.
I feel heart sorry for that little boy, I have been over weight as a child (not to that extent) and I'm sure he gets bullied at school and his self esteem is below zero..so food is probably his only friend...however it's now his enemy. Even when/if he looses weight he will have so much excess skin that he will probably need operations and probably because his case has been publicised he will be able to get them!
I think he should remain at home but work with a multi disciplinary team of doctors, health visitors, dieticians, counsellors and social workers to help him and his family survive!

Answer 3

Hi!

It is SUCH A SHAME!!

But, once again it's all down to education, isn't it?

I didn't see the Trevor MacDonald programme, but I did see part of it on TV today. The mother stood there making this kid's tea with a huge *** dangling from her lips!! I couldn't believe my eyes!

My kids couldn't believe he was sitting in front of the telly eating his tea!

I may be lucky, but my kids have never been fussy eaters. Also they know better that to say 'I'm not eating THAT'. They know if they don't eat what's been put in front of them, then they starve and there's no dessert!

Obviously, I don't purposefully give them stuff I know they won't like, but until they are putting 'money in the kitty' they eat what I decide to cook. Also, they'll suggest something that we can all enjoy for tea on any particular day.

I'm glad to hear he's not been taken into care because I think that would cause more problems that it would solve. However, his mum needs a HUGE amount of support, and I certainly hope she gets it.

Answer 4

It's not unreasonable to expect parents to look after their children properly, and that includes feeding them a healthy diet. The mother in question denies responsibility, claiming she has had no help from doctors, although it seems likely that they have given her helpful information about diets and exercise, she has just been unwilling to act on it. She claimed that he wouldn't eat any fruit or veg, and she couldn't starve him, but sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind. If he were refused the fatty processed foods that are all he will eat, he would very soon give in. Since neither he nor his mother is willing to agree to feeding him a diet of healthy food and exercise, I think it would be the only sensible option to remove him from her care. Most likely she is too ignorant and stupid to actually prepare something for him to eat that is both healthy and tasty.
Evidently dogs are more important than children in this country - think about that fat Labrador that was removed from its owners, and it wasn't four times as heavy as it should have been.

Answer 5

Hi, we just heard tonight that he isnt going to be as yet. However I thought it was a harsh threat. Yes she is doing all the wrong things but they do love him. He needs some intensive input from social services and they could give them a family dietician to go every day.To put a child into care has to be the last resort except in the cases of physical and sexual abuse where the love is not there but this case is just lack of education and to remove him for that will give him more problems of the mental variety.

Answer 6

Over feeding children or feeding them large quantities of unhealthy food is no different from any other type of physical abuse. If he is morbidly obese and the parent(s) seem to be the cause, then yes, the best interest if the child would be served away from the parents.

Answer 7

I was glad to hear this evening that the boy is staying with his family. The whole family will need close intervention by doctors, dietitions etc. I was worried that a young boy, who has problems with bullies, self esteem etc, would suffer more in a care institution. If he is like me he would comfort eat - not the way for him to go!

His weight will take ages to come off, if he diets sensibly and exercises. He needs to be with those that love and understand him. They all need to learn healthy eating habits together for it to work out in the long term.

Answer 8

if there is no medical reason for his weight then i feel his parents should take responsibility i dont think he should be taken from them but i think they should be made to attend some sort of class to educate them on how to eat and also the dangers of obesity then if there is no improvement then social services must intervene.

Answer 9

The mother / parents are to blame, kids especially when they're only 8 do what you let them. Someone in the family must have a bit of common sense.

Answer 10

I think its very sad. But the blame has to fall on his mum. She says that "he wont eat fruit or veg", well she should come up with a way of making him eat it.
How many children do you know that actually like veg!? There is a way of getting it into them, even if its by pureeing the fruit and mixing it with yogurt, or something.