Medications for Kids – When will adults take responsibility?
A few days ago, a colleague sent a message to my professional listserv, asking for advice. A friend with an obese 8-year-old daughter called her for help because her daughter’s pediatrician just scolded them because of her daughter’s health condition. This 8-year-old is not only obese but has high blood cholesterol and also has high blood pressure. Not only is the health of this child an issue, but a more harmful issue is how the doctor handled the problem. Now the daughter looks at herself and scolds herself for being so fat, and stress in the house has risen to an unhealthy level.
This is a tragedy in many ways. First of all, any female who is made to feel so bad about herself because of her weight is an eating disordered child in the making! Studies show over and over again that this is the ripe age for such problems that could not only last a lifetime, but could SHORTEN this child’s life! Second, now the mother is trying to police what her daughter eats, the father is scolding the mother for not feeding her more fruit and the daughter is mad at her mother because there is so much junk food in the house to begin with.
The third tragedy is that this is an issue at all! Any child of eight years old with weight issues is USUALLY the result of what they are allowed/provided to eat by the parents. The parents set the example! I have seen toddlers drinking sodas and eating French fries MUCH too often! These are not foods young children should even be exposed to!
But then this morning I watched a report stating that the American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending that children as young as eight years old start on cholesterol-lowering drugs!
When will parents start to take responsibility for the health of not only themselves, but of their own children?? This is awful that these ‘adult’ medications should be suggested for children. Apparently it is the Academy’s red flag in trying to slow down the incidence of heart disease and pre-mature death of these young people.
If you have children in your home, what are YOUR eating habits like? What is the health of your children? Are they a bit overweight? Really consider what habits you are teaching your children. Do you want your kids on drugs to treat these lifestyle conditions? Do you want your children to suffer from health problems when they should be enjoying their young adulthood? If not, first look at your own habits, and make decisions to improve what you do at home. Children learn from what we teach them, first. Only when they are older do they learn from their peers.
For tips on obesity and overweight in children, go to this link: http://www.aap.org/healthtopics/overweight.cfm
This is a tragedy in many ways. First of all, any female who is made to feel so bad about herself because of her weight is an eating disordered child in the making! Studies show over and over again that this is the ripe age for such problems that could not only last a lifetime, but could SHORTEN this child’s life! Second, now the mother is trying to police what her daughter eats, the father is scolding the mother for not feeding her more fruit and the daughter is mad at her mother because there is so much junk food in the house to begin with.
The third tragedy is that this is an issue at all! Any child of eight years old with weight issues is USUALLY the result of what they are allowed/provided to eat by the parents. The parents set the example! I have seen toddlers drinking sodas and eating French fries MUCH too often! These are not foods young children should even be exposed to!
But then this morning I watched a report stating that the American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending that children as young as eight years old start on cholesterol-lowering drugs!
When will parents start to take responsibility for the health of not only themselves, but of their own children?? This is awful that these ‘adult’ medications should be suggested for children. Apparently it is the Academy’s red flag in trying to slow down the incidence of heart disease and pre-mature death of these young people.
If you have children in your home, what are YOUR eating habits like? What is the health of your children? Are they a bit overweight? Really consider what habits you are teaching your children. Do you want your kids on drugs to treat these lifestyle conditions? Do you want your children to suffer from health problems when they should be enjoying their young adulthood? If not, first look at your own habits, and make decisions to improve what you do at home. Children learn from what we teach them, first. Only when they are older do they learn from their peers.
For tips on obesity and overweight in children, go to this link: http://www.aap.org/healthtopics/overweight.cfm
posted by Margie Geiser, MBA, RD, NSCA-CPT at
5:42 AM
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