Chipmonker Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Feb. 27, 2007, 12:50AMObese boy could face protective care Mother defends her 8-year-old's lifestyle despite his 218 pounds By COURTNEY FRENCH Associated Press TOOLS Email Get section feed Print Subscribe NOW LONDON — Authorities are considering taking an 8-year-old boy who weighs 218 pounds into protective custody unless his mother improves his diet, officials said Monday. Social service officials will meet with family members today to discuss the health of Connor McCreaddie, who weighs more than three times the average for his age. "The worst case would be Connor getting taken into care. He is well cared-for," the boy's mother, Nicola McKeown, told ITV television. A spokeswoman for health officials in Wallsend, North Tyneside, 300 miles north of London, said the hearing was part of a process that could eventually lead to Connor being taken into protective care. She declined to comment further. The health agencies organizing the meeting said they "have been working with the family over a prolonged period of time and will continue to do so." Officials would not say whether Connor suffered from a medical condition that led to his obesity, citing privacy issues. An unidentified health official was quoted as telling The Sunday Times that taking custody of Connor would be a last resort but said the family had repeatedly failed to attend appointments with nurses, nutritionists and social workers. "Child abuse is not just about hitting your children or sexually abusing them, it is also about neglect," the official was quoted as saying. Threat of an early death Dr. Colin Waine, director of the National Obesity Forum in Nottingham, called Connor's lifestyle "extremely dangerous," saying the youngster is at risk of developing diabetes in his teens, cardiovascular and nervous system problems in his 20s, and dying before30. Dr. Michael Markiewicz, a pediatrician, agreed. "I'm not saying they can't care for him, but ... the way they are treating him and feeding him, they are slowly killing him," he said. Connor's case attracted attention after his mother let an ITV News crew film his daily life over the course of a month. McKeown said her son steals and hides food, frustrating her efforts to help him, and eats double or triple what a normal child his age would consume. "If I didn't give him enough at teatime then he would just go on at us all night for snacks and stuff," she told ITV. Connor, who lives with his mother and sister, has difficulty dressing and washing himself, misses school regularly because of poor health and is targeted by bullies. "People pick on us because of my weight. They call us fat. It makes us feel sick of the nutters always shouting at us," Connor told ITV. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/world/4584065.html What is your reaction to this? Even though the news source may be blowing smoke about this one, do you think that the government is allowed to do this? In fact, should the government be at all allowed to remove your children / regulate child care (throwback to earlier debate). Sorry I haven't been posting a lot recently, I've been quite busy x_x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie_Penguin Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Well this is the life of a child we're talking about. I think taking away the child will just make things worse so what they should do is order the mom to put him on a strict diet and keep track on it. I was reading CNN and they say the child will be allowed to stay with the mother: http://edition.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/02/27/o...reut/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.Dan. Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 I read about this in the local paper. I think they should get Gordon Ramsay around for a nice cuppa tea, and a very educational chat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awesome_Paul Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 i would have to say, not give the kid to the Child Protective Care, but leave it for a month, say to him, you have 1 month to change your eating ways or you be taken away then maybe, the kid be scared he be taken away and could start eating normally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie_Penguin Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 I don't think he's quite aware of what the damage could be if they take him away. I just think they need to check every month to see if he is following a healthy diet and doing exercise. That should be enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chipmonker Posted March 1, 2007 Author Share Posted March 1, 2007 So what happens now? I'd argue that he is not going to magically lose 100 pounds [45 Kg] in a month; much less 5 pounds [3 Kg] a month. For all we know he could have a obsessive behaviour with food or the likes of that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie_Penguin Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 well obviously he likes junk food, but his mom shouldn't have let him eat it so many times. You know she should've just feed him normally and then if he wanted junk food then she should've made a deal with him. I think as long as the mom puts him on a diet and he shows a bit of improvement is good enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kikaown Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 Yeah, if the kid is making progress, don't take him away. However, if the parents don't learn anything and don't change, then that constitutes abuse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.Dan. Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 Maybe state-funded diet-program, or lipo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dillon Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 I think they should check up on the child every month and if he lose weight every month or stays the same he gets to stay with the mother if he gains more weight he needs to be take away. All of you have good ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chipmonker Posted March 2, 2007 Author Share Posted March 2, 2007 Maybe state-funded diet-program, or lipo? Liposuction? For an 8 year old! o_O That's not right. Although I can see a diet program, but not state funded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dillon Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 I think a diet program is A definite yes. Surgery NO. not on and 8 year old. They should check up on the kid every month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.Dan. Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 Why not surgery on an eight-year old? Babies have it all the time to correct medical issues and the like, and older people are usually more stable than a new-born. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lutarist Jake Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 Surgery? No, I don't think its nesssecary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie_Penguin Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 Before someone like him can get "surgery", they would've had tried thousands of ways to help him lose weight. Surgery would be the last and extreme option to save his life. I think a good diet and exercise is going to help him a lot. This post has been edited by a member of staff (Chipmonker) because of a violation of the forum rules. Ehhh...this post is getting a little old. PM me to have it reopened. Please check your user inbox to see if you have been contacted regarding this incident, then review our rules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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