Suggestions
[ Post a Reply ] [ View Follow Ups ] [ Gab Board ]
Posted By:
kaydie on 2008-04-28
|
|
I would like to know if anyone has suggestions for this. It's a touchy subject with my sister so I never bring it up, it's regarding my nephews weight and suggestions to help him lose. I'm not a skinny minny (weight 190 pounds myself so its not like I'm a skinny person offering a "just go on a diet" suggestion - sis herself weighs about 230 pounds). Problem with nephew is he is mentally retarded (special, slow or whatever you want to call it). He turned 20 years old this past November but he still plays with Power Rangers, watches cartoons, and has the mind of a 12 year old in some ways. He does not have the capacity to think like a regular 20-year-old. So...he is overweight....way way overweight. I don't live back there but sis says he weighs 340 pounds and he eats like a pig. She can control his eating pattern while he is at home but the problem is he eats like no tomorrow at work. He also has his bike and will ride down to McDonalds. She's had people she knows watch him and when he's caught he tells these people to mind their own business. Sis and her DH have talked and talked to him, but nothing sinks in. He tells them he is not fat. She got so mad one time because he refused to listen that she told him he was the size of a pregnant woman.  . He became very irate and was screaming and yelling he was not. Then proceeded to bang his head into the wall in one of his "fits". He has these a lot when he's caught doing something wrong or is upset about a problem. He does not know how to handle emotion so he balls his fists up and punches himself over and over in the head or bangs his head against the wall. She took him to his pediatrician and the pediatrician told her there is nothing wrong. She was livid. I told her to take him to a regular doc and she said he can still see the pediatrician up until 21. I didn't say anything because she gets very defensive but I almost said he may be a child in the mind, but he has the body of an adult now. They adopted him from south america, so not sure what health problems or body habitus people from that country have (some countries have naturally large people - like Samoans and other cultures). He also has what could be the onset of early diabetes, although the doc never came out for sure and told her he has it. I told her that the only thing I am worried about is that if he doesn't get his weight down or if his diabetes gets out of control he the worst scenario would be that he could have problems and end up losing toes, foot, hand, or whatever. She said to me, oh sure, that's all we need is to give him nightmares. I told her not to tell him because he can't handle it, but if she doesn't do something she needs to know this is the worse that could happen. She said she was thinking about taking him to weight watchers and I told her I doubt very much he would listen to the speakers there. I've seen these commercials for weight loss pills, but of course am very skeptical about weight loss products advertised on TV. Does anyone have any suggestions. The only thing I can think of is getting him to both a regular doc or nutritionist and also a psychiatrist to help deal with his "I'm not fat" attitude (I certainly can offer no intelligent suggestions to her as I have no idea how to deal with her situation). However, she can't afford either doc or psychiatrist so wanted to come up with some suggestions to offer her. |
Reply By E-mail ||
Post QUICK reply [ See Related Messages ]
Follow-ups:
|
