Mother may lose custody of 8 year old OBESE kid

[darin]

I think I'd support the boy being removed from her custody.

Thoughts?

218lbs?? and Eight years old?



LONDON — British authorities may take an 8-year-old boy weighing 218 pounds into protective custody unless his mother improves his diet, officials said Monday.

Social service officials will meet family members Tuesday 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 Tuesday's 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 Tuesday's meeting issued a statement saying they "have been working with the family over a prolonged period of time and will continue to do so."

An unnamed 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.

Dr. Colin Waine, the director of the National Obesity Forum in Nottingham, England, called Connor's lifestyle "extremely dangerous," adding he is at risk of developing diabetes in his early teens, and cardiovascular and nervous system problems in his twenties.

"He's really at risk of dying by the time he's 30," Waine said.

Pediatrician Dr. Michael Markiewicz agreed.

"I'm not saying they can't care for him, but what they are doing is through the way they are treating him and feeding him, they are slowly killing him," he said.

Connor's case attracted national attention after his mother allowed an ITV News crew to film his day-to-day life over the course of a month.

Connor's mother said he steals and hides food, frustrating her efforts to help him.

"He has double, treble what a normal boy (of his age) would have, but 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.

Read more, at link
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,254720,00.html

[5stringJeff]

Instead of removing the child from her care:

Weigh the kid once a week. Every week that he fails to lose at least one kg (since this is in London), fine her ten pounds (about $15) for every kg that he gained. After a while, she won't have enough money to keep the boy from stuffing his face.

[trobinett]

Don't see it being the governments business.

[Abbey Marie]

I'm inclined to agree with Trob. If they must do something drastic, send the little cherub to a fat camp for 6 months, to learn healthy eating and exercise habits. Losing custody is over the line, IMO.

[shattered]

He's 8. It's the parents responsibility to take control of the situation, and fix it. If she's not going to do that, it's is the equivalent of neglect. Neglected children get removed from their homes, and put in to a better environment.

I agree with what Jeff said as a starting point.. Weigh weekly, fine, and if that doesn't start fixing it..then removal. 218 isn't healthy for *most* adults.. It has to be deadly for an 8 year old.

[Gaffer]

They have to learn to disicpline. Its simple, tell him NO then stand by it. If he wants to fuss he can sit in his room all night. Take away TV, play stations and everything else.

[Nienna]

"He has double, treble what a normal boy (of his age) would have, but 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.

If he is stealing food like that, he is HEART-hungry. The kid needs love, attention, discipline. He needs to learn to fill his mind with something besides the desire for food. Some CHORES, maybe?

Also shows that they aren't into paying attention to the kid... "He would just go on at us"???? Why don't they either listen to him or spank him? Kids should not be allowed to nag. It's disrespectful.

[Nienna]

I just weighed my nine-year-old, who is rather tall for her age. She weighs 68.

[mrg666]

Don't see it being the governments business.

the welfare have got involved on the grounds of child abuse

its a new goverment (uk) initiative to tackle obesity statisticly a lot of kids that age are becoming obese for various reasons, lack of excersise ,computer games , tv
so to save a future generation of sumos they have decided to tackle the problem now

[Nienna]

the welfare have got involved on the grounds of child abuse

its a new goverment (uk) initiative to tackle obesity statisticly a lot of kids that age are becoming obese for various reasons, lack of excersise ,computer games , tv
so to save a future generation of sumos they have decided to tackle the problem now

I don't think they should be able to remove the child on the grounds of obesity, but a kid THAT big points to neglect. They should require parenting classes, if they do anything.

Personally, I think this should not be under government control.

[krisy]

I don't think they should be able to remove the child on the grounds of obesity, but a kid THAT big points to neglect. They should require parenting classes, if they do anything.

Personally, I think this should not be under government control.

I agree Nienna. The government is allready wanting into too many aspects of our life. If they interfere here,what's next? Most of these extremely overweight children cases are rare,and besides,where would they put the kid anyway? With some lousy foster parents that a lot of the time aren't for the welfare of the child,but the money(I know,not all of them). Taking a child from his parents is a HUGE decision and should be a last resort in a case like this. Taking kids away for this kind of crap tears families apart.

[glockmail]

I saw the kid on Hannity/ Combes last night. He looked just like a sow- no kidding. He was eating french fry and mayonnaise sandwiches. It was disgusting.

[Abbey Marie]

I saw the kid on Hannity/ Combes last night. He looked just like a sow- no kidding. He was eating french fry and mayonnaise sandwiches. It was disgusting.

Seriously? I'm a little nauseous just thinking about it.

[glockmail]

Seriously? I'm a little nauseous just thinking about it.

Yup.