An "important" letter from school today

[tonilea]

saying my son is "overweight"! You have got to be kidding? Who sets these standards?

I worry about him not eating enough! I can see his ribs! He wears "slim" cut jeans. No wonder studies say unprecedented numbers of children are over weight, if these are the standards!

 

[Katy Belle]

I remember my Pediatrician in the US telling me something weird that schools were doing.... something with the back of the kids neck??? If it is fat, they send the parents a note about the kid being overweight. WEIRD!

 

[tonilea]

Apparently, it was based on his BMI from two months ago. His teacher told me she hated giving them out, but doesn't have a choice. She also said most of the class was classified as overweight. I would only consider one child in the class to be overweight, just by looking at them. Eh, maybe two, one of the girls is a bit chunky, but certainly not fat.

 

[Jigsaw]

 

[dolphinrescuegirl]

That's ridiculous! (Just like my spelling, lol)

 

[Spoonful of Sugar]

If that is your son in the picture, he doesn't look overweight to me! Plus, he's adorable.

 

[susykt4]

My son got the same thing around that age. He's been a "solid" kid since the day he was born. He's never been AT ALL fat, just a solid, muscular frame that apparently makes him weigh more than his "normal" peers. He happened to have a doctor appointment at that time and I asked his pediatrician about his weight and she about freaked out that he could possibly be called overweight. She was poking at the poor boy, screeching that he didn't have an ounce of fat on him

Roll your eyes and let it go. You will unfortunately get many more "important" letters from the school. Last year I had an "urgent" conference with my daughter's 3rd grade teacher because my daughter (try not to scream or freak out) jumped in a puddle at recess, got all wet and when questioned why she did such a thing replied "I knew I'd be wet all day, but it was too fun not to do." I don't think the teacher appreciated my laughter at such a grave and serious matter that "did not conform to normal third grade behavior."

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Our school does not do that. I think it is none of their business.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Are you suppose to take some action on the information provided in the letter?

I'd want to know how they determined that my child was overweight? Was it more than weighing the child? If so, did they have my permission first?

I guess my main objection is that kids have enough to deal with without having their weight be a factor at such a young age. That really should be up to the child's doctor and the parent/s. (Provided there is health care available to the given child. Even so, not really the school's area of expertise, eh)?

 

[Darsa]

Ugh, every time I see the letters B, M and I together I get all I find the BMI standards to be highly inaccurate and very unfair, for adults much less children. I can't imagine what they'd base a child's diagnosis of "overweight" on; I cannot imagine having my child come home with a letter saying that he/she is fat; as if bullies aren't enough!!

 

[cepmom]

I got a similar letter from DD12's school...she was categorized as "normal BMI" butstill! It makes me crazy that the schools felt the need to do this. (the state is requiring it I guess??) It goes on to say that we should follow up with DD's Dr etc, etc. (form letter) As if we don't follow up with the Dr every year anyway

 

[agnes!]

I think that all the adults running the school and all the adults running the school system and all the adults who came up with this rule/regulation all the way up the line (local/county/state/Federal) should be held to the same standard AND should have to be 'tested' in the same way AND should have letters given to them in front of their peers to be sent home to mommy. How many legislators would pass? How many governors, Congressmen?

Did they only measure the BMI for the kids? Did they do a skin-fold test? Yes, there *is* an epidemic of obesity and obesity-related syndromes/diseases in this country, but if they ONLY measured the children's BMIs, that does not accurate assess overall health. And just because someone is thin doesn't mean that they are ipso facto "healthy".

And if the schools are so all-fired concerned about the health of American children, then they need to have daily PE and more than one skimpy recess a day. And they need to serve a more healthy menu for breakfast & lunch. And they need to have a better assessment of health than a measurement that only measures fat. Anyway, if the school used the BMI (instead of a fat-measuring method), the BMI was never intended to be used as a diagnostic tool for individual's health and is poorly-suited to be used as such. Wikipedia has a great well-researched article about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_mass_index .

 

[Darsa]

I think that all the adults running the school and all the adults running the school system and all the adults who came up with this rule/regulation all the way up the line (local/county/state/Federal) should be held to the same standard AND should have to be 'tested' in the same way AND should have letters given to them in front of their peers to be sent home to mommy. How many legislators would pass? How many governors, Congressmen?

Did they only measure the BMI for the kids? Did they do a skin-fold test? Yes, there *is* an epidemic of obesity and obesity-related syndromes/diseases in this country, but if they ONLY measured the children's BMIs, that does not accurate assess overall health. And just because someone is thin doesn't mean that they are ipso facto "healthy".

And if the schools are so all-fired concerned about the health of American children, then they need to have daily PE and more than one skimpy recess a day. And they need to serve a more healthy menu for breakfast & lunch. And they need to have a better assessment of health than a measurement that only measures fat. Anyway, if the school used the BMI (instead of a fat-measuring method), the BMI was never intended to be used as a diagnostic tool for individual's health and is poorly-suited to be used as such. Wikipedia has a great well-researched article about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_mass_index .

I bow to you and your smartness, Agnes!
Awesome post!

 

[DISdreamin']

At DD's 5-year check-up, our pediatrician came in and said to me "I'm supposed to tell you she is overweight, but she looks just fine to me and I'd ignore it". Honestly, the kid is SOLID muscle. Yes, she's heavy...because she's all muscle!

I loved the fact that our ped just kind of went "eh"....and when I checked with a friend of mine, she was of the same opinion. DD's 'diagnosis' was done on the basis of some height/weight ratio.

If this were done at school, and results handed out in front of everyone, I'd be .

 

[luvmy3]

Regardless of whether or not my children are overweight, I'll let the doctor provide me with that "important" news.

 

[goofy4tink]

Yep, we got one too. My dd, at 5'9" and 138 lbs is considered 'heavy'!!! We pretty much just tossed that letter out. Way to encourage eating disorders!!!

 

[Pigeon]

In many cases, this is being mandated by the state, and is not the school's bright idea. No matter who is behind it, I think it's idiotic. I do not want the school practicing medicine on my children. We have a perfectly good pediatrician, with whom my children have a relationship forged over many years. If my pediatrician has concerns, that's between the doctor and my family.

We are also required to take the children for physicals periodically and bring proof of it into the schools. There is absolutely no need for the schools to get involved any more than they have been. Schools have more than enough to do already.

 

[puffkin]

Yep, we got one too. My dd, at 5'9" and 138 lbs is considered 'heavy'!!! We pretty much just tossed that letter out. Way to encourage eating disorders!!!

I am 5'9" and weighed that in high school and I was so skinny then! I would KILL to be that again. There is NO WAY your daughter is heavy!!!!!

 

[mkel34]

I am 5'7" and weigh 155 this puts me right on the border of overweight under bmi classifications, if you saw me you would tell me to eat a cheeseburger with all the fixings.

 

[mjkacmom]

I think schools and doctors are just frantically trying to find ways to stop this fat epidemic, which we do have. I also think that we should be able to see our kids' ribs, and we are so used to seeing overweight people (like myself - I really need to lose 20+ pounds, if not more), that we don't even realize how heavy our friends and family are. My "skinny" kids (75th % in height, 45th% in weight) are probably the norm decades ago, and yet people comment on how skinny they are. My chubby ds (90th % in height and weight) was told by the pediatrician that he's fine, although his BMI is "at risk" - he can pinch an inch, and does have belly fat. He is not big-boned, just looks like he is.

I find so many parents who label their children "solid," when in fact, they are fat. However, if the whole family is "solid," they just don't see it. Several years ago, there was a tragic tourist boating accident, because although the boat didn't go over the occupancy limit, it was an old boat, and the occupants were hundreds of pounds over what the expectancy was decades ago. Scary.