Call for obese children to be taken into care

[depakid]

Source: Sydney Morning Herald

SEVERELY obese children should be notified to child protection authorities, and even taken into care, if their parents are unwilling or unable to help them lose weight, experts have argued. The continuing failure of parents to ensure treatment for their obese child could be considered medical neglect when the child is suffering, or is at high risk of suffering, associated severe health problems.

Clinicians already have a legal requirement to contact welfare authorities when parents fail to follow medical advice in the treatment of other illnesses, such as parents who reject medication for a HIV-infected child, or who refuse a life-saving blood transfusion for a child on religious grounds.

Writing in the http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/190_03_020209/ale11409_fm.html">Medical Journal of Australia, doctors at the Children's Hospital at Westmead say the growing prevalence of severe obesity is leaving many health workers unsure if they should notify child protection workers when parents fail to follow medical advice. "We argue that in an extreme case, the notification of child protection services may be an appropriate professional response," pediatric obesity experts Dr Shirley Alexander and Professor Louise Baur wrote.

Dr Alexander said the multidisciplinary team of specialists at the Children's Hospital at Westmead who look after cases of extreme obesity had decided to notify the NSW Department of Community Services if parents were unwilling or unable to co-operate with medical advice.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/call-for-obese-kids-to-be-taken-into-care/2009/02/01/1233423045494.html

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Bullet points from the journal article:

* Severe childhood obesity and its associated comorbidities are increasing in prevalence.

* Extreme childhood obesity may be viewed as a mirror image of severe non-organic failure to thrive. Parental neglect may be a causative factor in both circumstances.

* When suspicion of parental neglect arises, health care professionals may have both an ethical obligation and a statutory duty to notify child protection services.

* Guidelines on the point at which medical practitioners should seek state assistance in cases of severe childhood obesity would be helpful, not only for medical practitioners, but also for child protection services.

[mikehiggins]

1. Yea, verily, giveth unto me a break, for chrissakes

THis has to be the most rediculous idea since pop-rocks.

So a fat kid is a sign of abuse? Child services is going to ride to the rescue?

Better we do something about children raised to be absolute twits with nothing better to do than butt in even further into a family's life.

Children are being murdered by unfit parents every day. Isn't that a little more significant than an extra box of Twinkies?

I spent most of my life as a "fattie", which is why I never married, never fathered two great young adults, gotten a college degree, lived a happy and prosperous life with my spouse and so on and so forth.

Oh, wait. I did all those things, didn't I? I even spent most of my adult life working in construction as an electrician. Would things have been better if I had been a skinny kid? Maybe. They sure would have been a lot different though.

And I would have missed out on all that wonderful chocolate.

Let's advocate education and exercise, but let's not criminalise having a fat kid.

Where is the common sense in this world?

[timtom]

9. I'll tell you what I'M going to do...

I'm leaving Australia right now!

Wait. I don't live in Australia.

Actually, the UK is up to something similar, as I recall.

[LeftishBrit]

13. Never heard of a child being taken into care in the UK for being obese

In fact, in some parts of the UK, it seems that children can get repeatedely tortured by their parents or other relatives, and no one notices or deals with it till the children have actually been murdered. (Google 'Victoria Climbie' and 'Baby P'. If you can bear to.)

The government does tend to be a bit strident on the topic of healthy eating; but they're not rushing to take kids into care.

[bunnies]

10. anyone who doesnt think this ---------->

http://www.flicklife.com/02887dfbe55ebb2b64ba/7_Year_Old_Jessica_weighs_400_Pounds.html

is child abuse needs their head examined. Is the definition of the phrase 'severely obese' completely lost on you?

[LostinVA]

11. I'm on your side of this, bunnies

Even if it's abuse through ignorance, it's still horrific. And, if it IS through ignorance, the child -- and parents -- still need help.

[bunnies]

14. Totally.

I actually watched an episode of Maury years ago that had obese children and their parents on. We're talking 200 lb 2 year olds. Geezus!

Some parents were actually proud that they fed the kids that way and all the houses were stocked with tons of shit-food. I was mortified.

I'm not saying taking the kids away is the answer - but something HAS to be done.

[get the red out]

2. Yea, take their kids

But air those Coke and Pepsi commercials. And you know you can't live without a bag of potato chips kiddies, now go make Mom's live a living hell until she buys you all the junk we advertise. Of course, if you get fat, it's Mom and Dad going to court.

Happy Meals for all!!!!!

[quickesst]

3. Right....

I can't understand why children aren't mature enough to make responsible choices. Hell, they've had four, five, six, seven, etc. years to learn. Ppphhtttt! Thanks.
quickesst

[Demeter]

4. As a Mother Who Has Chains and Padlocks on the Refrigerator

to keep her disabled child from compulsively eating, as said child did when the State took her into custody on false charges of abuse, I have to wonder what world these people are living in.

Fix the damn economy so people can afford to live, and provide universal, government paid healthcare, and otherwise get out of my life!

[pleah]

5. OMFG!

The stupidity, it hurts. Yeah, don't promote exercise or healthy eating habits, just take them away from their parents.

[acmavm]

6. Well then, they're gonna mandate that healthy and nourishing

food with a low calorie count are available to everyone, right?

edit: Just to make sure that everybody understands that I am making a point that the poor will have access to these foods, right? Since they're setting restrictions and requirement for kids weight, they're certainly setting restrictions on the cost of low-cal healthy food, right? Fresh fruits and veggies will suddenly become affordable?

[Vinca]

7. Bingo. When a single orange costs a dollar, there's a reason a poor family

buys prepackaged mac & cheese for the whole family instead. Then, of course, there are items like the "whole grain" cereals geared toward kids - 99% sugar, 1% grain - and the high fructose corn syrup drowning all the processed foods.

[iamjoy]

8. Why Not Educate The Parents

People have already mentioned making sure healthy food is more affordable, but why not also educate parents? A lot of people don't know about proper nutrition and may think the correct approach to weight loss involves starvation. And what do you do with a child old enough to go down to the store on their own and buy junk food?

[acmavm]

12. Well, as for those unhealthy little spendthrifts, just euthanize them.

Hell, obviously they are seen as lesser people anyway. And now the numbers on the scale are supposed to determine if they should be allowed to live with their family or not.

Hell, why not just gas 'em?

:sarcasm:

[depakid]

16. This is essentially what the doctors try to do

Here's the representative case study from the journal article:

At the age of 4 years, Jade* was referred to child Weight Management Services. She was 110 (43.3 in) cm tall, weighed 40 kg (88 lbs), and had a body mass index (BMI) of 33 kg/m2 (100th percentile for age; BMI z score, 4.05). She had acanthosis nigricans, hyperinsulinaemia, fatty liver identified on ultrasound, and abnormal sleep study results indicative of moderate obstructive sleep apnoea.

Jade came from a family with a strong history of obesity and obesity-related disorders. Her mother had a history of gestational diabetes and postnatal depression, and her father had a history of abuse as a child. Jade’s parents were separated and a social worker was already supporting the family. Jade led a very sedentary lifestyle, watching television up to 6 hours a day, and there were issues about food, with Jade having temper tantrums if not allowed whatever she wanted to eat.

A family-focused multidisciplinary approach was taken, involving both parents with input from a clinical nurse consultant, dietitian, physiotherapist, clinical psychologist and paediatrician. The family found it very difficult to keep appointments and adhere to lifestyle changes, and Jade’s mother felt unsupported by her ex-partner who continued to allow Jade to snack on high-energy foods and watch television. Jade’s weight steadily increased.

Twenty months after initial referral, Jade, now hypertensive with symptoms of marked obstructive sleep apnoea, was referred to the hospital’s Department of Psychological Medicine, for assessment of her progressively violent behaviour, and Child Protection Unit, because of concerns about her persistent weight gain.

Subsequently, because all these interventions had not led to any significant improvement in Jade’s condition, the relevant state child protection authorities were notified. Notification led to hospital admission, during which Jade underwent an adenotonsillectomy. With the institution of simple weight-management interventions of reduced dietary intake and a daily program of physical activity, Jade lost 3 kg in 2 weeks.

Community-based support was established, visits to the father were supervised, and Jade continued to lose weight as an outpatient. At her most recent clinic visit, Jade had reduced a dress size, and her mother now feels much more confident in making healthy food and lifestyle choices.

http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/190_03_020209/ale11409_fm.html

Obviously, these sorts of treatment programs are more readily accomplished in countries with universl health care.

[L0oniX]

15. IMO smoking around your kids is far worse

[Old Codger]

17. Holy crapola

I wonder where they think they are going to find the homes for these kids, the system is so seriously short of homes for what they already have it is criminal.

[Epiphany4z]

18. do they require other things be tried first?

Counseling , nutrition, cooking and exercise education? Seems to me ripping a kid out of the home may only make the kids food issues worse.