View Full Version : 14 Stone, 8 Year Old To Be Put Into Care
DaVeyWaVey
25-02-2007, 20:43
I heard this on the news today and was really surprised! If the parents don't sort out the kid's diet, he could be put into care. Do you think this is an appropriate solution or should the problem be tackled in a different way?
Jessie Wallace
25-02-2007, 20:51
If they've try other things then yes. It's abuse/neglect by the parents. A child of that age, is given a diet of food, they don't or shouldn't chose what they eat.
If the child has an illness (ie. Prada Willisndrome (sp?) then it different.
If the child has an illness (ie. Prada Willisndrome (sp?) then it different.Thats what I was thinking.
Was there any other information on the case?
DaVeyWaVey
25-02-2007, 20:56
If the child has an illness (ie. Prada Willisndrome (sp?) then it different.Thats what I was thinking.
Was there any other information on the case?
It never said anything about him having an illness, just said his family has a history of intolerance to fruit or vegetables.
If he doesn't have a condition or illness, then i have to agree that the child should be removed from the family as what he weighs is quite massive and puts his health at serious risk from diabetes etc.
Pinkbanana
25-02-2007, 20:57
If they've try other things then yes. It's abuse/neglect by the parents. A child of that age, is given a diet of food, they don't or shouldn't chose what they eat.
If the child has an illness (ie. Prada Willisndrome (sp?) then it different.
I agree, if its down to a medical condition then the parents need help/supporting. However, if its down to bad parenting (I believe it is indeed child abuse to allow a child to get into such a state) then the child would probably (and rather sadly) be better off with foster carers. Im sure the decision to take the child into care would be taken lightly and the parents have had the opportunity to do something pertaining the child's weight/health and have chosen not to be proactive in this matter.
He should be put into care. A fruit and veg intolerance is not a justification of feeding your child total junk. This child is probably getting seriously bullied at school, and it sounds like the parents don't care. I would expect they're overweight too, but just because you are doesn't mean you have to force it off on your parents. I don't eat fruit and veg, but I'm not overweight. My dad is overweight, so the parents can't say that being overweight came from inherited characteristics and not the diet they put the child on.
samantha nixon
25-02-2007, 23:12
as much as yh the child is overweight i dont think they should be put into care as that could end up making him even worse if he misses his parents and the child doesnt have to eat everything his parents gives him, instead of him being put into care social workers should help them try and sort things out
It never said anything about him having an illness, just said his family has a history of intolerance to fruit or vegetables.
If he doesn't have a condition or illness, then i have to agree that the child should be removed from the family as what he weighs is quite massive and puts his health at serious risk from diabetes etc.
My brother has an intolerance to fruit/veg.. infact they could kill him but he is not overweight as he is on a control diet from the doctor. If his parent knew about this intolerance then they should have had a diet sheet prepared for him.. I personally think this is abuse allowing your 8 year old to weight that much and yes, for the childs sake, care is needed
Chloe O'brien
26-02-2007, 12:57
This little boys story is being told tonight on TV and his parents were on GMTV a few weeks ago. If the boy does have a medical condition and an intolerant to food then the health service should be doing everthing it can to support the family as it would be heartbreaking if the boy was to be taken into care. On the other hand if it is neglect on the parents behalf and they are just letting him eat what he likes when he likes, well then maybe it would be for the best if he was placed in care. What angers me is that why wait now when he is 8 years old and over 14 stones in weight, surely something should have been done years ago. I don't think this boy woke over weight. But that is the social services at their best in this country.
as much as yh the child is overweight i dont think they should be put into care as that could end up making him even worse if he misses his parents and the child doesnt have to eat everything his parents gives him, instead of him being put into care social workers should help them try and sort things out
In some ways they could be forcing him to eat. I had a friend whose father would sit at the table, commanding that she ate more and more until all of the food had been consumed.
Jessie Wallace
26-02-2007, 14:39
In some ways they could be forcing him to eat. I had a friend whose father would sit at the table, commanding that she ate more and more until all of the food had been consumed.
I was always made to eat whatever was on my place as were my brother and sister, and i/we was never fat. It was just manners to eat what was provided for you. (am now, but that was my choice)
The parents must really be forcing the boy to eat though, to go that far overweight at that age. I bet he has more than 3 meals a day, and I was forced to eat the meal, but once in a while the child gets full, even when they're only eating what was put on their plate.
In some ways they could be forcing him to eat. I had a friend whose father would sit at the table, commanding that she ate more and more until all of the food had been consumed.
I was always made to eat whatever was on my place as were my brother and sister, and i/we was never fat. It was just manners to eat what was provided for you. (am now, but that was my choice)
In my house (cause there was so many of us) it was eat what you were given or else someone would have it away
Jessie Wallace
26-02-2007, 15:24
If it was something we didn't like then we still had to have it, but not as much as the other foods. Like i hate Sprouts but i still had to have 4 of them!! same with carrotts.
He probably does only have 3 meals a day, but there are so many other thing to snack on during the day. I know when i've having one of my days!! i can eat 2 meals and loads of snacks, and i just won't feel full.
I have an unhealthy diet, thats mainly my fault, my parents try to make me eat properly but i dont, i eat a lot of fruit but not veg. Think care is definitly needed if the child is that badly overweight. I mean you dont know the whole story like exercise and if they do any but, thats no quality of life for an 8 year old to be that big. Hes at serious health risk with diabetes, heart disease etc. All the support should be given to the parents and care would be the final option.
DaVeyWaVey
26-02-2007, 17:34
In the Sun newspaper today, it said that he weighed a normal 7 pounds at birth, and he eats 4 packets of crisps and 2 packets of biscuits a day for snacks. I might watch his story tonight on ITV, it'll be interesting to watch.
Jessie Wallace
26-02-2007, 18:44
A decision on whether an extremely overweight child will be taken in to care because of his size will be taken on Tuesday.
Before Christmas, eight-year-old Connor McCreaddie weighed in at a massive 15 stones and 8lbs - four times the weight of a healthy child of his age.
But after beginning an intensive exercise regime and swapping the junk food for healthy alternatives, Connor lost one-and-a-half stones in two months.
His mother, Nicola McKeown, 35, sought help from professionals and the family have been getting assistance from health workers and a dietician.
Now the family faces a child protection conference with North Tyneside Council to discuss Connor's progress in losing weight.
The last resort would be for social workers to place the eight-year-old in care, but his mother is hopeful this will not happen.
"If Connor gets taken in to care that is the worst scenario there could be," Miss McKeown told The Sunday Times.
"Hopefully, we will be able to come up with a good plan and he might just be put on the at-risk register. That wouldn't be so bad because there would be help at the end of it.
"I just couldn't imagine what it would be like if the outcome was worse than that."
The schoolboy features in Tonight with Trevor McDonald exploring childhood obesity. Film crews from the show followed the youngster's day-to-day life for a month.
Does anyone know when the programme is on?
Its on ITV after Corrie Dawn.
Like the article says though, putting him into care is a last resort, and seeing as he has losing weight currently after his mother sought help, then I would have thought, whilst he was making progress, he would stay where he is, with his diet behing monitored :searchme:
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