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Overweight child
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Message 1.Ìý
Posted by tillytrolly (U8311312) on Tuesday, 26th May 2009
Can anyone help with this one ? I have a relative whose 14 year old son is grossly overweight. He has spent some time at a special school for children with his problem in the city where he lives, but it has brought no lasting results & he won't be allowed to stay there any longer, but must move back to his mainstream school. He was badly bullied there, but the culprits have since been expelled & the teachers have promised to keep a sharp eye out for any further problems.
Something that has been offered would be for him to go away to a "camp school" for obese children for 2/3 weeks, but he's very clingy & his mother is certain he'd be home very, very, quickly & in a very, very, distressed state.
She's a lone parent existing on benefits at the moment, due to illness....she will be working again soon, but won't be earning much. The father disappeared into oblivion long ago.
I think it's pretty clear that the boy needs proper psychological help. Is there any advice anyone can give ? -
Message 2
Posted by tinners-hare (U9904261) on Tuesday, 26th May 2009
Gosh Tilly I wish I could. Poor boy - I take it he has already had some tests to rule out any organic root cause such as thyroid problems? One thing that sticks out is when you say he so clingy. That's certainly unusual for a boy in his teenage ears and suggests there are issues bubbling away somewhere.
Other than that I don't know what to say except those camps are meant to have good results. They combine sensible eating with exercise and offer counselling which could (hopefully) get to the root cause. Deep unhappiness can manifest itself in many ways which at 14 he may not be sophisticated enough to realise without help. They could also help him come to terms with his family situation and the 'loss' of his father. -
Message 3
Posted by chicken_hot_pot (U8480346) on Tuesday, 26th May 2009
Hi tilly,
Something that has been offered would be for him to go away to a "camp school" for obese children for 2/3 weeks, but he's very clingy & his mother is certain he'd be home very, very, quickly & in a very, very, distressed state.Ìý
It could be the saving of your friends son, if he's that over weight. Which he is by the sound of it.
Is he clingy because he's been bullied or just generally. It's odd for a 14 year old boy to be quite so attached to his mum. The ones we have here ring mum when they've finished the lesson and tell them to wait for them about ½ a mile up the road!
Or is his mum hanging on to him since dad left and she became ill? It can work both ways.
I don't know much about these camps, other than what I've seen on the Telly, but they do seem to have good psychological help for the children; though I think the regime is pretty strict which maybe difficult for him - tough.
At least if he went to the camp he wouldn't be the only one there with the same problem and I think that's all part of it. Realising that you aren't a freak and that there are ways out.
Hope this helps a bit.
Cheers,
c_h_p. -
Message 4
Posted by Dunlurkin NL (U2675855) on Tuesday, 26th May 2009
I happened across a very moving and very positive doumentary on Ö÷²¥´óÐã3 last week, called "Georgia's Story: 33 Stone at 15". Unfortunately it is no longer available on i-player (presuming your relative is in the UK anyway). I see from the website that it is part of a Ö÷²¥´óÐã campaign. Clips from the programme are shown here
It sounds to me as though - as in Georgia's case - the mother may also be part of the problem. That sounds a little harsh, but any 14 year old who is very clingy is likely to be encountering problems of one form or another.
The message from Georgia's Story was very heartening. Much less "nannying" than programmes like "Honey, we're killing the kids", though they perhaps have their place as a wake-up call.
HTH
Dunlurkin -
Message 5
Posted by tinners-hare (U9904261) on Tuesday, 26th May 2009
Dunlurkin, you beat me to it. I was just thinking of trying to do a link to Georgia's Story which I agree was very moving.
It also showed how the camps created a big friendship network and employed adults who weren't afraid to show tough love whilst being educational and supportive. In a nutshell, it showed Georgia taking responsibility for herself without needing to resort to blaming herself or others. -
Message 6
Posted by That Old Janx Spirit (U2140966) on Tuesday, 26th May 2009
He's probably clingy because one parent has left him and he's scared witless that the other one might, too. That's why he doesn't want to let him out of her sight.
I think she should talk to him about going to this other camp, saying that he has to do it for her, so that she isn't worried about him and so that they can be better supports for each other. She could say she's relying on him to lose some weight so she doesn't need to worry about his health so much.
Let him have the chance to be a hero for her. -
Message 7
Posted by chicken_hot_pot (U8480346) on Tuesday, 26th May 2009
That looks really interesting Dunlurkin, but unfortunately I can't watch it, ho mum, living in France does have one disadvantage!
Though it shows (I presume) that these camps can work.
Cheers,
c_h_p. -
Message 8
Posted by tillytrolly (U8311312) on Tuesday, 26th May 2009
Thanks for the help....she's in GB, so I'm operating from a distance &, obviously, I have to take her word about lots of things (eg that she has prepared special food for him, but he "sneaks" unhealthy food in etc etc) His father's disappearance must certainly have something to do with it, I'd have thought (he has an older brother, who is fine) There's nothing organically wrong. I think the camp would be a good idea too. My relative did think there might be a breakthrough when he said he wanted to go into the Navy when he left school...& tried to use this as a means to motivate him, but it didn't work
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Message 9
Posted by starlilolill (U11601004) on Tuesday, 26th May 2009
I am going to sound really hard here .... Surely if there are no unhealthy snacks in the house, crisps, biscuits etc and the child has no access to money to buy such snacks then it will be a start.
As a parent it is too easy to give in to children for a quiet life.
If she provides a healthy, balanced diet now - he will thank her for it later!
No-one ever said parenting was easy - it isn't! -
Message 10
Posted by Dunlurkin NL (U2675855) on Tuesday, 26th May 2009
I agree in principle sll.
But ... I suspect this child would feel very hard done by and got at if all the snacks suddenly disappeared. It's a bit like the light bulb - he's got to want to change.
In other words, he needs to understand why he is not able to have the crisps, drinks etc. that his mates have/he has had up to now.
This is a 14 year old, not a 4 year old. They spend a lot of time away from parents and so it is not as easy to influence/control them.
I am staggered when I see the quantities of soft drinks and crisps/snacks that are in some people's shopping trolleys. Here, in NL, the evening meal is often eaten very early so by mid-evening out comes what is effectively another meal.
I also agree that parenting can be a thankless task.
Dunlurkin -
Message 11
Posted by tillytrolly (U8311312) on Tuesday, 26th May 2009
Yes, it's a difficult one, sll & Dunlurkin
The policy at the "special school" was not to cut out treats completely & he has a 16 year old brother who is mildly hyperactive (not a big problem), but who can consume a reasonable amount of high calorie food without problems, so it's not really fair to him not to have any at home (although there could be some way of making it unavailable to his brother)
But, as Dunlurkin said, he is 14 & goes out with his friends etc & then has to be given a certain amount of money in case of need/for activities etc.
Having said all that, I'm sure that my relative could be more strict, but she has had a very, very, tough life herself & I'm amazed that she hasn't ended up in prison/topping herself. I know that's no real excuse, but I also don't think that an iron rod approach by her is the answer in itself.....I think it has to be a mixture of discipline & his REALLY wanting to change. The best hope I see would be in one of the "camps" (posted really to see if anyone knew of alternatives), but I don't know if she can be persuaded to send him (think she's seen the film on the link) & I don't want to be the one to bulldoze her into it if it turns out that he really can't cope with it -
Message 12
Posted by Sunny Clouds (U7606212) on Tuesday, 26th May 2009
I have a tendency towards overeating and being overweight (my weight yo-yo's with my moods and medication) and I'm sure the only thing that stopped me being fat when I was young was the amount of exercise I got.
I'm amazed how in mid-life I have become so unfit that the three miles I used to cycle to school and back each day, plus daily games lessons, plus sports in the evenings now seems a lot, but then it seemed like nothing.
I'm not advocating a sudden heavy fitness programme, but a gradual introduction of more exercise. Maybe walking a neighbour's dog, starting a vegetable patch, getting off the bus a stop early/late and walking home, then two stops and so on? -
Message 13
Posted by tillytrolly (U8311312) on Tuesday, 26th May 2009
Yes, Sunny, .....although he does play football etc, so he's not completely sedentary (as, I think tins pointed out, the camps do encourage exercise too)
What I really came back in to say was that I meant there had to be a bit of a psychological element to it.....as (again) tins said, it's not just the weight, there must be other unresolved problems....but I don't know in how far there is good treatment available for 14 year olds -
Message 14
Posted by bulekingfisher (U8365651) on Tuesday, 26th May 2009
Hello Tilly Trolly
Is your friends son shy,quite,retirring and maybe he is comfort eating (over compersatting) because he misses his father and frughted his mum might keave him -
Message 15
Posted by Flossie-Collie (U10562436) on Tuesday, 26th May 2009
I think that's a good point, Bulekingfisher.
When I was young, there was a lad who lived next door to us who was overweight, very shy and very much a "mummy's boy". He was a year older than me, but he never hung around with the rest of us kids.
We moved away when I was about 14, he would have been 15. Three years later I found myself at his 18th birthday party and I couldn't believe my eyes. He was a completely different chap - tall, lean and absolutely drop-dead gorgeous. What had caused this transformation? He joined the local cycling club and lost a load of weight, gained a load of friends and confidence.
Maybe your young relative could find a cycling club or similar? -
Message 16
Posted by Jane Eyre (U5521427) on Tuesday, 26th May 2009
I too watched the programme about Georgia and remember that along with exercise and sensible nutrious meals the children were given gentle, supportive counselling.
As I recall it took quite some time before Georgia opened up, but when she did she said that her over-eating began when her father died when she was six and became worse when her mother became ill and Georgia became her main carer. Which seems to have some parallels with your relative. The main reason that she had agreed to go away to camp was that her obesity was becoming life threatening and both she and her mother were worried about what would happen if she became ill.
In my opinion Georgia was under a great deal of stress as a result of having to take on too much responsibility for a parent at a young age.
The camp resulted in significant weight loss, but perhaps more importantly, gave Georgia the ability to take control of the situation. She was shown being quite strict about what food they should have in the house on her return and keeping to the daily walks that she had had to do at the camp. She also made a close friend at camp which seemed to give her confidence and someone her own age to talk to about her problems.
From what I saw on this programme I think that the camp could tackle any underlying psychological problems as well as instilling good habits. In fact if the psychological problems are tied up with the family situation it might be easier for the child to acknowledge them away from home. -
Message 17
Posted by Abby33 (U6428266) on Wednesday, 27th May 2009
I have to take her word about lots of things (eg that she has prepared special food for him, but he "sneaks" unhealthy food in etc etc) Ìý
I would wonder why she has to prepare 'special food' for him. I would have thought there was a lot she could do herself. Stop buying processed food and fizzy drinks etc. Cook from scratch and involve him in the menu planning and cooking.Use smaller plates-half the problem is potions that are too large.
If he is shy about joining clubs that do physical exercise because of his weight they could do a lot themselves. Do a daily walk with him -if he doesn't want to be seen out with his mother get on a bus and do it where you are unlikely to meet anyone. Plan some challenges-e.g. a long walk, running for a minute every so often. i.e. do the camp herself over the summer holidays.Do the cheap things-get a skipping rope etc. I can see his problem in being embarrassed but if he got his weight down by the autumn he could join a club. My cousin's overweight son is quite slim because he took up cycling and goes long distances. It doesn't matter how small he starts, he can do it. I remember seeing one woman on TV some years ago. She was obese and too embarrassed to be seen running so she set off in coat with handbag so that people would thing that she was running for a bus! As the weight went she donned a track suit and finally she joined a running club.
If she has the money I would recommend a Wii Fit. You can do it in the lounge. It weighs you and you can set goals-just short ones to start with. It does aerobic exercises, muscles workouts etc and gives you results. You can get success. I am the champion ski jumper in our family-my teenage sons are disgusted because they can't jump as far! Computer games have left me completely cold but that is fun.
In short-think laterally-how can they do a fit camp for themselves. If the mother can't do it herself can they think of someone who would-either for free or cheaply. -
Message 18
Posted by tillytrolly (U8311312) on Wednesday, 27th May 2009
Thanks, everyone. The more I hear about this, the more I think a camp could help, because, obviously, when anyone becomes as overweight as this, there's more to it than liking chips & cola, &, at the camps, they must be used to dealing with children with these problems. He & his mother have been warned, too, that his weight is life threatening, so you can see that I'm not just talking about plumpness. He does seem to have quite a lot of friends & goes out & about with them, but, as I've said, his mother has had a difficult life &, although she's OK & recovering now, she did have an illness that almost killed her &, of course, his father hasn't been around. His older brother is also much better academically than he is (as well as being quite good at Sports) And, yes, the boy concerned is a gentle & sensitive type.
Will try drip drip advocacy for the camp, but doubt it will work -
Message 19
Posted by That Old Janx Spirit (U2140966) on Wednesday, 27th May 2009
Dunlurkin,
Our evening meal was also early (4.30/5.00 p.m. - we were hungry when we came back from school or work), so in the evening, we also had something more to eat.
It was called fruit. A bit of a banana, apple and orange every single night.
And we got the same treatment when we stayed with gran in Berlin.
And I do the same now.
We'd have been killed if we'd have sneaked a biscuit between meals (okay.. slight exaggeration.. but we really did have to resort to SAS tactics and most of the time, we couldn't stand the tension). -
Message 20
Posted by tillytrolly (U8311312) on Wednesday, 27th May 2009
Thanks Abby....our posts crossed. I agree with you.....although I do think there are psychological problems there that need to be addressed, too. I won't say that he can't solve the weight problem until he has sorted out the psychological problems, but I would say that they need to be dealt with in tandem. I was wondering if he could get psychological help without having to go away & then his mother could deal with the weight reduction side of things, but this doesn't seem to be available (or hasn't been offered).
-
Message 21
Posted by Dunlurkin NL (U2675855) on Wednesday, 27th May 2009
Tilly,
I might have a bit of a google in a minute - displacement activities are us - but I'm wondering whether there might be somewhere they could both go, which might start the ball rolling. I recall in the past seeing holidays for parents and children, where there were activities offered separately for both groups. Painting versus sailing, for example.
How much of a factor is money in all this? This may well be one of those problems that can be solved a little more easily if they can throw money at it (holidays, Wii etc.).
I saw another programme in the Headroom series last night - "Make my body younger", where a 24 yr old had been partying really hard for too long. 200 units of alcohol per week!! With a little help - and some scare tactics - he turned his life around. Still drinking perhaps more than was good for him, but looking slimmer and much healthier in mind and body.
I am assuming (hoping?) that if this boy has been bullied about his weight and it has really made his life a misery then, deep inside at least, he will be willing to make albeit a small effort to try and solve the problem.
Dunlurkin -
Message 22
Posted by Abby33 (U6428266) on Wednesday, 27th May 2009
I agree with the psychological problems-I had meant to mention them and then got carried away on the physical stuff and forgot.
I would think a camp is best for 2 reasons, one, the psychological help and two, others in the same boat doing the same thing.
Has she tried her GP and asked about counselling?
If she can't get it at least I would start with the exercise and diet. -
Message 23
Posted by tillytrolly (U8311312) on Wednesday, 27th May 2009
Thanks again. Yes, money is a problem.....as I've said, the mother is still recovering from her illness & cannot work (she is a very hard worker by nature, so there's no question of shirking), but should be returning to work within the next couple of months. Unfortunately, "thanks" to her parents, her young life was a mess & she has only done menial work. But, having said that, this problem is so big that I reckon that SOME money could be taken from other things...but don't know if it would be enough to do much with. As you say, Dunlurkin, I'm hoping he really wants to change too.
The boy is "under" his GP for this problem, but it doesn't seem as though anything else has been suggested. Or it may be that the GP has lost patience because the camp option has been turned down & feels that the mother needs to force the boy into it (only guessing) -
Message 24
Posted by Dunlurkin NL (U2675855) on Wednesday, 27th May 2009
I don't suppose by any happy coincidence he is handy for Leeds? Other stuff in Yorkshire too I think.
The guy behind this seems to be (or have been) a specialist in child obesity at Leeds Met Uni. They also do day camps, which might solve the going away side of things.
I suppose what needs to happen is to find a way of engaging this lad's interest and then hope it will go on from there.
[Bossy hat on here: has the mother asked you for help, tilly? I can understand that she needs help, but I do know that you have one or two other things on your mind/keeping you occupied at the moment. If you see trying to find something as a sort of 'light relief', then fair enough. Bossy hat off!
]
Dunlurkin -
Message 25
Posted by Abby33 (U6428266) on Wednesday, 27th May 2009
I would be inclined to talk him into the camp. I would imagine that most of the children who attend have been talked into it. If he comes back early in a distressed state he isn't much worse off than he is already-on the other hand he may make friends, get help and enjoy it. He won't know unless he tries.
-
Message 26
Posted by tillytrolly (U8311312) on Wednesday, 27th May 2009
Unfortunately, he's not near Leeds, Dunlurkin. You can be as bossy as you like with me, chuck (I never mess with one of Joanna Lumley's pals) No, she hasn't asked for help as such...just someone to let things out to, but I wondered if anyone here had any experience of this.
I'll be phoning her tomorrow evening & so I'll do a little probing about the GP etc (actually, I've just remembered that she says he goes to the hospital to be weighed).....so....as to whether the GP/hospital have offered any psychological help closer to home.
But, yes, Abby, I think you're right...the best thing would be the camp & I'll try to do a bit of persuading
Thanks to everyone -
Message 27
Posted by peskylogin (U2369503) on Wednesday, 27th May 2009
It's a shame Mum can't find some help, al-anon? If she was sorting herself out, or telling the son that she was getting some help to build her confidence, or however she phrased it, he might feel less responsible for her and more willing to try things.
-
Message 28
Posted by Dunlurkin NL (U2675855) on Wednesday, 27th May 2009
pesky: al-anon? Are you party to some information we don't have, or are you making a huge assumption here? Or do I misunderstand the role of al-anon? The clue is in the 'al'.
Dunlurkin -
Message 29
Posted by tillytrolly (U8311312) on Wednesday, 27th May 2009
Not sure what's going on in pesky's post either, Dunlurkin (he/she knows no more than you do) But what has occurred to me is that the mother might be reluctant to move towards the psychological aspect because she fears that any problems would mean that she is/has been an "inadequate" mother. As we've said, there are obviously factors (& perhaps others that we don't know about) in the family that could play a significant role....but then there are in most families.....&, after all that she's had to deal with, I think she's been tremendous in creating a stable environment for her children. I honestly don't believe that I could have done the same. But I shall have to tread very carefully
-
Message 30
Posted by Dunlurkin NL (U2675855) on Wednesday, 27th May 2009
tilly,
I came across this website which seems quite 'friendly' and not overly patronising:
It is directed more at teens than at parents.
How does he feel about going away on holiday without his mum? Does he go away on school trips?
Good luck with this.
Dunlurkin -
Message 31
Posted by tillytrolly (U8311312) on Wednesday, 27th May 2009
Thanks so much, Dunlurkin. Will report back tomorrow
-
Message 32
Posted by La Min gibbon swinging strumpet draped in black (U12534030) on Wednesday, 27th May 2009
Tilly, I wonder if the al-anon reference might be in relation to ennabling?
ie, things the mother might be doing/not doing that unintentionally/unknowingly make it easy for the child to eat too much, to not exercise, harder for them too lose weight or to learn to think differently etc.( What/whichever things are part or cause of the problem) Not that she is stuffing him with chips!
Hope that makes some sort of sense
xxx -
Message 33
Posted by tillytrolly (U8311312) on Wednesday, 27th May 2009
Well, la min....I was wondering if it was an oblique way of saying that, maybe the mother needs psychological help for things from the past that have affected her &, eg, given her low self esteem & that then her son will sense that she has dealt with some issues & that will help him.
(In which case, thanks, pesky, but why be so oblique ?)
I think there could be a lot of truth in that.....he's a gentle & sensitive soul who probably picks up on his mother's feelings (which could well lead her to find it difficult to be strict with him, especially because he's the youngest)
I do know a lot about her childhood, which was prety horrible. She married a really nice older guy, who, I think, she turned to because he was something of a father figure....& she took on looking after his son by his first marriage & had to cope with looking after the son when his mother died after a long time of suffering with cancer. She then nursed her own father till he died of cancer & then left her husband, disappearing from the family radar for a few years....couldn't find her. Eventually, she came back with her 2 sons...the father having disappeared (I have changed this story enough to disguise her identity....but you get the general picture)
So, you see, there's probably a lot of unfinished business there. But I'd say it's really a matter of urgency with her overweight son now & there's not enough time to work through all that first -
Message 34
Posted by Letty (U11612567) on Wednesday, 27th May 2009
This may have already been covered, but what would be the difference between school and the camp? Would the psychological support be better at camp, or would it just be a matter of him not having snacks around? It might be worth finding out how much more the camp can offer, if the school didn't provide any lasting benefit, the camp might simply be an expensive more-of-the-same.
-
Message 35
Posted by tillytrolly (U8311312) on Thursday, 28th May 2009
Yes, that's true to an extent, Letty.....I don't think he's really got to the point yet where he himself wants to change enough. But the camp experience (ooer missus) would be more intense because he'd be away from home....not just any possible food temptations guaranteed out of reach, but all the confrontations with his emotions without his mother around. I'm going to try to find out later today (very gentle conversation...don't worry...won't go it with a sledgehammer), if, indeed, he has ever been away on a school trip etc. The only thing I can remember hearing about is going on a day trip. I know, when he was at the "special school" that he was supposed to be going away for a weekend with one of the boys he'd made friends with there to stay on a farm, but it never happened. It wasn't said that he was upset about going....can't remember the exact reason....but it could have been that what I was told wasn't the real reason or that both he & his mothrer convinced themselves of a "false" reason
-
Message 36
Posted by tinners-hare (U9904261) on Thursday, 28th May 2009
The Letty I refer you to message two (oo, that sounds posh) about the camps.
In a nutshell, the camps are far more structured and offer education about healthy eating without demonising food and encourage the 'campees' to take responsibility for their lives, without resorting to blame, either of themselves or of others. There is also a large support network from both professionals and other teenagers in the same boat.
The girl featured in the documentary lost a huge amount of weight and gained new perspectives on her lifestyle and how she could be in control. -
Message 37
Posted by Letty (U11612567) on Thursday, 28th May 2009
Tinners-hare - thanks for that. It sounds good, but I suppose my worry was that the 'special school' should have been doing an awful lot of that itself if it was going to be effective for anyone, so my concern was what benefit the camp added to the school - it was more a question about the difference between the school and the camp, rather than a question about the camp - does that make sense?
-
Message 38
Posted by myria (U4022847) on Thursday, 28th May 2009
There is an O-anon organisation, for family of overeaters, but I don't think it very widespread in the UK. Most towns and cities do have OA (Overeaters Anonymous) meetings though, and that was what I was going to recommend. In my old Oxford group we had a couple of teenagers who found it immensely helpful. OA is a twelve step recovery group like AA and as such may not suit everyone, but the relief in finding a group of people with the same problems as you is overwhelming, even if you have difficulty with some of the philosophy behind it. What the boy needs more than anything is psychological and emotional help, diets and restricting food won't work, he'll find a way around that (as I did). I would cautiously promote the camp but only after assessing that it has strong couselling and emotional support.
-
Message 39
Posted by tillytrolly (U8311312) on Thursday, 28th May 2009
Thanks, Florella, I'll check that out.
From what I've heard, letty, I think the school was a "pale version" of the camps....&, it was a day school, so the children always went home in the late afternoon. So, really, it's more that you really can't "switch off" in the same way (& maybe your parents can't capitulate & indulge you) So there's a bigger chance of it having an impact......but, obviously, there's no guarantee -
Message 40
Posted by peskylogin (U2369503) on Thursday, 28th May 2009
pesky: al-anon? Are you party to some information we don't have, or are you making a huge assumption here? Or do I misunderstand the role of al-anon? The clue is in the 'al'.
Ìý
Oops Dunlurkin, I meant AA. As I have believed up until recently(not unreasonably imo) that al-anon was a short form for AA it still slips out if I don't pay attention.
Some sort of support group for the mother could help. It's likely there is co-dependency between the mother and son so any support from a third person or group might reduce this. -
Message 41
Posted by tillytrolly (U8311312) on Thursday, 28th May 2009
An update......I've just spoken to the mother on the phone.
Apparently the "mainstream school" he's returning to has arranged for a nurse to visit him at home once a fortnight to counsel & monitor him. She also said that , with the good weather, he has started to do more sport. I tried to drop Stuff into the conversation casually about whether he had ever been away on school trips etc & got the impression she was being a bit evasive (but that could have just been my suspicious mind)
So thanks for everything....all suggestions stored away in case of need. I'd guess that the nurse coming to his home rather than the school serves a twofold purpose.....firstly, to avoid embarassment in front of other pupils & secondly to give the nurse (she called her a nurse, but I don't know if the person is a kind of counsellor/dietician etc) a chance to get an impression of the home environment & to see what the mother/son relationship is like-
Thanks again -
Message 42
Posted by chicken_hot_pot (U8480346) on Sunday, 14th June 2009
Tilly,
I've just heard about this girl on the radio and have read the article. It might be some help to you, or it might not.
Whichever it's a sad story.
Cheers,
c_h_p. -
Message 43
Posted by tillytrolly (U8311312) on Sunday, 14th June 2009
Thanks, chp. An update for everyone who was so kind as to post.
Things seem to be progressing very well with the nurse visiting him at home. What perhaps has been even more decisive is that he has made friends with a young man with severe learning difficulties (who lives with his parents), plays football with him & generally goes out & about with him & looks after him. As I've said, the boy is not brilliant at school himself (his brother is something of a Maths wizz) & this seems to have given him a lot of confidence.
The weight is starting to come off, so, it's a good beginning.
Thanks again -
Message 44
Posted by Auntie Prue (U1481323) on Sunday, 14th June 2009
Great news.
It must be difficult for Mum.
The government won't give a definitive answer to the question of how much of income based benefits is meant to be spent on food. Probably because it won't stretch to a truly healthy diet.
To eat good quality, healthy food every day isn't cheap, and it must be a struggle for her to cope.
I hope it continues to go well.
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