Tell me what you think?

It really breaks my heart when I see an obese child. To answer one of your questions, I do believe that there is a possibility for parents who have morbidly obese children to be charged with neglect. Of course, doctors are required to do specific tests to be sure that the cause of the child's weight is not medically related. If that is proved, or the parents are doing nothing at all to help the child get to a more normal weight, I am pretty sure that the parent can be charged with neglect.

I think that CAN be considered neglect. I have seen children on Dr. Phil that are hugely obese, 70 lb 3 year olds, 130 lb 6 year olds, etc. The typical 3 year old is closer to half that, and a 6 year old maybe 45-55. The sad part is that the parents themselves also seem to be obese, and they simply 'medicate' the situation with more food. I see the kids on the show and they more than demand things, or they just help themselves and the parents do NOTHING! They have lots of junk, fried and fast food, soda, chips, ice cream, waffles, my eyes bug out just thinking about it. I think sometimes they CAN take the child out of their home and put them on some sort of medical diet and introduce exercise and sometimes medication - these kids are at risk for developing diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, kidney and liver issues, incontinence (if they are potty trained), metabolic issues, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc. These are extreme examples, I think of some kids I see who are just overweight, and if they are eating an entire pizza for lunch and they are just 4 years old, that is NOT responsible parenting. Parents need to lead by example here, eat healthier, portion control (children do not need to eat a whole ton at each meal) and also not give in to demands for junk, or in general just seconds and thirds for a child who doesn't need to eat three bowls of spaghetti and half a loaf of garlic bread - for example. I feel people who do this or let it happen are killing their own kids - slowly - but still killing them, and they ARE responsible for it.

I do think that the parents might have a big fault here. Parents should control their children's food intake. I know that certain health problems exist and some children might have uncontrollable food compulsion but at least the parents should seek help from professionals if they are unable to handle the case by themselves.

400 POUNDS at 7 years old?! im astonished she isnt bedridden already! she will be lucky to make it to her late teens much less 30! i agree that some action needs to be taken in regards to the parents. i dont know if they should have the girl taken from them or not..., but they should be forced to comply with what the doctor orders in regards to changing her diets etc.! killing with "kindness" (ie too much food) in this case should be considered just as neglectful as if they were starving the child.

First I find it very hard to believe that a 7 year old anywhere weighs 400 pounds that's just odd. Another note is I doubt that if a child was so overweight that it had to do with over-feeding. The child could potentially have a thyroid problem, be eating the wrong types of foods, or any number of other things. But again remember that pictures can be edited and not everything on the internet is true. Can I ask where you got the information? I am a nurse and I have never seen anything remotely like a child that age weighing that much- the breathing issues alone could pose fatal problems for such a case. Good luck and happy mylotting.

That is very sad...very sad indeed. But, whenever the doctor weighs the child, they must record it. If there's anything abnormal, I'm sure they research it. Now, if that girl is at her current weight, then chances are the parents aren't taking proper medical treatment. In that case, I think action should be taken against them for "endangering a child's life". We all know what happens to you when you're overweight, imagine how that girl feels. Geeze...I mean, my 8 year old boy is lazy, loves to just sit and play video games, but he is active and loves to run around. How sad it is for that girl who can't get out of bed. I feel guilty if my children don't go outside, especially when the weather is perfect. Again, I say action is needed. Poor child. *Pleiades

OMG! I think it is horrible that the parents don;t step up and take responsibility for what they have done to their child. My daughter is 8 and weighed 90 pounds last year. I was very concerned about her weight. The doctor said that alot of it is because she is tall for her age, but I was concerned so I got her interested in sports. Now she plays soccer and basketball. In this past year she has actaully lost a few pounds and has gotten even taller. Now she is looking thin, but her snacks have changed to friuts and veggies rather than the regular snacks that kids like. I totally blame the parents in this case. If they can't control what their child eats , then they should loose custody as they are harming her life.

Yes I think the parents should be talked to by a Dr. and tell them that if things don't change then the only course is to take her from them. As when my son was little he wouldn't put on weight and they took him. I had to prove that he ate like a horse in court. And he was at the so called 25% of of other kids his age. Now at 18 he is 218 pounds of hey you don't feed your child enough. I tried to tell the Dr. that I was really small at the same age. She looked at me and frowned like yeah right your fat butt. Well he was in foster care for 6 months and here is the kicker he lost weight. Then gained again. I tried to tell them. But have the Dr. talk to them first. Not like the one I had as she really was a bad person. All's I got was my son back and a I'm so sorry. But it cost me $2000.00 to get him back. So it is a hard thing to deal with. Maybe they can have a nurse come over there and help them with the food that she should eat. And walks. Your friend onlydia

I agree that it's really sad to hear about things like that. Of course someone should step in, if the parents are aware that this is threatening their childs life and they aren't making a serious effort to change the kids eating habits then someone needs to take that child and see that she is taken care of properly. I don't like to see children taken from their parents so maybe they could have someone visit them off and on and moniter a food journal of sorts and exercise journal for the girl. something needs to be done for her.

Her parents need to be punished for letting a seven year old get so big. I understand that it is easy for some people to gain weight and they can eat just the same amount as we do and gain weight but to let a child get to 400 pounds is a little much. If the parents don't get with it and help her to lose weight than someone needs to step in and do it for them. This little girl will have no chance in life and won't be able to do anything that kids do and will be lucky to be ab;e to walk at all. I hope for her that something happens and she is able to go on and have a healthy productive life.

Yes I agree with that, I think that the parents are the ones to blame for child obesity. Parents are their childrens teachers in life and also meant to be able to guide their children with the right kind of morals and values. However, I do not believe that a parent should feed their child so much to the point they are in that state, it's neglect, definately. Do you remember a case in England where this 6 or 7 yr old boy was taken off his parents for a short while due to the same issue? I think that they should just be given the right guidance when it comes to health and nutrition because, maybe have the child taken out of the home just to make them realize they have done the wrong thing by their child and maybe it would give them a boot up the butt and change their way of thinking in the future. There are so many children nowadays that are falling victim to obesity and something should be put in place to implement better lifestyles and healthy eating, for everyone. Look at Jamie Oliver, he is always on a crusade to teach the world to cook better meals for themselves, maybe take some of his advice, I know I do and my children are definately not obese, nor are they underfed, they are healthy and active.

That is just so sad. She weighs more than most adults. Can you imagine what her life must be like. I'm sure she can't play like normal kids without getting out of breath. Can she even go to school? I think that doctor should report those parents and at least have the case be investigated in detail by a social worker and/or child psychologist. Imagine what it must cost those parents in food alone. I read an article once about a man who was over 700kgs and the reason he ate so much had to do with his mother abusing him. Afterwards, when she felt bad about it, she would give him food to make up.

The problem with taking the kid away from the parents is it will open up a whole new can of worms for DFACS. While this is an isolated case, you know as well as I that it won't stop there. Parents that don't control their child's diabetes well enough, whose kids' cholesterol is too high, or even let kids be too sedentary could also be blamed for shortening their lives.

This is very bad. Parents have to play a role in their childs diet. There is no reason for a child to weigh that much...I don't even understand how a parent could let their child get that big. There are many people who each too much fast food. Fast food everyday can do lots of damage.

I think it is awful! Either her parents are completley stupid in which case teach them quick about nutrition or they are are totally blinded in which case id say if they have no plans to help their child lose weight she should be removed from them until she is better I would class it as neglect they are shortening her life you do not do that to someone you love! I could never do that to my child i know all children can put on weight mine can then they have a growth spurt and shoot up and get all skinny again but to let it get that bad and refuse to help their child is wrong!

My guess is the parents are also fat, and do nothing but eat and never excersize. They probably feel badly about eating sweets in front of the child without sharing, or the child is just so spoiled she's allowed whatever she wants. But it's certainly pure laziness on the parent's part to allow her to be this way. It doesn't take much to get a child to eat right and excersize. I think you're right, they should remove the child from the home and place her with someone who will feed her healthy food and get her plenty of excersize.

Many parents spoil their kids and simply cant sat no to them. Also I think that many children are lazy and parents are doing nothing to send them out to play or some training. I remember I been training since I have been 6 yrs old. I was a chubby kid but I did train never the less. So my thought are that there must be some point in life (for children, parent, adults) when they say: "Ok, I am too fat, I will go out and move more and eat regular food (NOT diet!)"

i think the parent don't love her enough to take her health into consideration. Maybe just relate an incident, don't mind if the eg quote is a dog. I was in a taxi once and the taxi driver relate to me that he love his dog very much that he buy pig trotters for his dog everyday. My husband and me started looking at one another, hmmm, a 3-4kg dog eatting 1-2 kg of pork plus all the fats, it's like poision. True enough, the taxi driver mentioned that his dog didn't live past the age of four. don't think the parents is aware that they are killing their child but sooner or later, she will die if the eating continue.

I dont think that you can be that fat at that age, just by eating very much. its probably a disease, otherwise the parents would be crazy, and broke. i am so happy that im not fat. i saw the most heaviest man of the world on tv, and he was laughing. how can he laugh?! they had to use a big truck to move him. its very sad

eat too much is not a good thing.eat less can keep healty.