Should super obese children be taken away from their parents?
by Tammy J. Colter, Editor-In-Chief, OH Magazine
As the childhood obesity rates dramatically soar, the issue of whether or not parents of obese children should be charged with child abuse or neglect has sparked controversy and spirited debates in many communities. The most recent debates were ignited after Dr. David Ludwig, an obesity specialist at Harvard-affiliated Children’s Hospital Boston, wrote his opinion piece for the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) in which he states that putting obese children temporarily in foster care is in some cases more ethical than obesity surgery. WOW!“State intervention ideally will support not just the child but the whole family, with the goal of reuniting child and family as soon as possible. That may require instruction on parenting,? said Ludwig.
“Despite the discomfort posed by state intervention, it may sometimes be necessary to protect a child,? co-author, lawyer, and researcher Lindsey Murtagh said.
Dr. Ludwig was prompted to research and discuss this issue after a 90-pound 3-year-old girl came to his obesity clinic several years ago. Last year, at age 12, she weighed 400 pounds and had developed diabetes, cholesterol problems, high blood pressure, and sleep apnea. The state placed this girl in foster care, where she received three balanced meals a day and engaged in moderate physical activity. She lost 130 pounds within one year and still remains in foster care.
There have been other controversial childhood obesity related cases
in the media and courts:
-Mom Jerri Gray was arrested and charged with criminal neglect when it came to the attention of South Carolina authorities that her 14 year-old son weighed in at 555 pounds. Her son was put into foster care. “I was always working two jobs so we wouldn’t end up living in ghettos,? Gray said. With no time to cook, she often opted for fast food for her sons meals. Her sister now has custody of the boy, now 16. The sister can financially support a special diet and exercise program, and Jerri Gray’s son has lost more than 200 pounds in two years.
" Even though good has come out of this as far as him losing weight, he told me just last week, `Mommy, I want to be back with you so bad.’ They’ve done damage by pulling us apart," Gray said.
-Georgia parents James and Anne Cardona were charged with felony child cruelty after their 4 and 5 year old daughters were found to not only be obese, but they were living in a squalid environment. The 5 year-old weighed 158 pounds and the 4 year-old weighed in at 89 pounds. The normal weight for a 5 year-old is 40 pounds and a 4 year-old weighs about 35 pounds.
-10 month old Lei Lei of China weighed in at 43 pounds and the normal weight for a baby his age is around 18 pounds. He was hospitalized for medical testing to find out if his parents were over-feeding him or if he had a medical reason for his weight gain, such as Prader-Willi Syndrome or hormonal imbalances.
-In California, a mother was charged with misdemeanor child abuse through inaction. Her 13 year-old daughter weighed 680 pounds and died before the original case could be heard. The court ultimately charged the mother after her daughter’s death.
-In Texas, a 4 year-old boy named G.C., who weighed more than 136 pounds, was taken away from his parents and parental rights were terminated.
-Indiana parents of a 4 year-old named Cory, who weighed in at 111 pounds, were charged with criminal neglect.
Unfortunately, the above cases are a just a small reflection of the childhood obesity crisis in our world today. Many parents of obese children sympathize with families facing legal action because of their kids’ weight and feel that taking children away from their parents is an extreme measure. However, each family obesity crisis is unique.
Dr. Lainie Ross, a medical ethicist at the University of Chicago, stated: "There’s a stigma with state intervention. We just have to do it with caution and humility and make sure we really can say that our interventions are going to do more good than harm."
Related message board posts:
http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/amos/4424340/Losing-Custody-of-Super-Obese-Kids/
http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/rny/4424531/SERIOUSLY-ANNOYED/
http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/rny/4424508/SOOO-MAD/
| Did You Know? - September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month - Approximately 17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged 2-19 years are obese - Obesity prevalence among children and adolescents has almost tripled since 1980 - 1 of 7 low-income, preschool-aged children is obese. - 70% of obese children already have at least 1 risk factor of having heart disease - Obese children are most likely to grow up as obese adolescents and are more prone to joint problems, cancers, cardiovascular diseases, poor self-esteem, as well as other health, social, and psychological problems |
Click on the links below to learn more about childhood obesity and prevention:
How to know if your child is obese: http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/information/childhood-obesity/howtoknow.php
Treatment: http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/information/childhood-obesity/treatment.php
Prevention: http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/information/childhood-obesity/prevention.php
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