LONDON (AP) - British authorities may take an eight-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, some 500 kilometres 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. 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.
Geez, 218 pounds at 8 years old? That's awful! That poor child! I hope that they can get him on a more healthy track! I think they should involve the whole family though, like get them some visits with dieticians, things like that. I mean, taking the child out of his home might make things worse, make him want to comfort eat even more. I don't know, something definitely needs to change though, that's for sure.
^^I agree that something needs to change - and a family visit to a dietitian seems like a healthy and reasonable first step. But notice, the article mentions that all this legal stuff started because his mother repeatedly *failed* to show up at those appointments. If she isn't going to be attentive and be willing to be the "bad guy" when it comes to denying him unhealthy foods and snacks, maybe someone else does need to step in, for the kid's own sake.
there is no excuse for giving into your child when they cry over and over for things that the parent knows are bad for them. the parent needs to step up or step out and give that kid a fighting chance for survival.she is only helping kill her own child and that is not acceptable.
it was decided that the boy is going to stay with his mother because taking him away from her may just make the situation worse. what the papers didnt say was that his mother has extreamly bad depression & mental health problems. while this dosnt make it right what has happened with the boy it has many influential factors eg he is comfort eating due to lack of attention & being not able to deal with his mothers problems without the suport of a father figure. this has been big news her in the UK & has been subject for much debate on many tv & radio chat shows. the papers only print things to sell a story & dont deliver all the facts. there is much more to this story & many more problems than what was actually reported.
I have a grand nephew that is in the same boat. He is probably at least 150 pounds at 8 years old. I think that it is neglect. This kid grew up in front of the TV with his mother sleeping most of the time. I went to the store with my sister (his grandmother) and my son was looking at cheetos. I told him NO, because he is a poor eater and if he eats junk, I won't get anything good in him (my son is 30 lbs and 4 years old, so very skinny). So, she grabbed the bag of cheetos for her grandson because she was sure he needed a snack! He had also downed a complete order of hot wings for breakfast and a pile of sandwiches! I was shocked at how they feed this boy. It feels like they feed him to keep him quiet so they don't have to do anything with him. Poor kid, he gets lots of crap from kids at school now, but my sister and niece do not understand why, to them he is not fat at all! Anyway, when I saw this story, it instantly reminded me of my nephew.
i personally think locks should be on cupboards. And nutritional classes should be available to parents for kids that are neglected. WHAT IF? a 1 H and whatever lbs child has a heart attack what then ? Children's bodies aren't built like ares? <shakes head>
Hmm... I'm not across this issue, but wouldn't his mother's depression be even more reason to take this child away? Clearly, her depression is so severe that she is not capable of providing him with the love, care, and attention he needs.
My 16 yr old nephew is currently living with me. He's part of my adopted family (meaning not blood kin, but even better, love kin). Most of his life he lived with his grandmother who let him eat and do has he pleased. A child cannot learn healthy eating habits on their own. By time he went to live with his mother, he had learned to gripe enough to get what he wanted. At night she would give him a cheese pizza and a coke. That way he would shut up and go to his room to play video games, and she couild do her drugs. He has been living with me for nine months now. It is only in the last weeks that he has started realizing how unhealthy he is. Now he drinks lots of water and watches what he eats. It has been a slow gradual process to get here. It will be no easy task to for this eight year old to learn new habits. He will resist and at first he will do worse. Unless the mother commits to helping him and setting a good example, he will never change with her. I would hate see him taken away from his mother, but it may save his life. This child will need counseling, as much if not more than the mother. Never underestimate the influence you can have on a child.
