Should this be considered child abuse?

[Bubbles]

Should This Be Considered Child Abuse?

YouTube - the fattest child in the world (jessica)

I remember seeing this on TV a couple of years ago. I apologize since I couldn’t find the English version or even a subtitled one for that matter. Anyways this video is about Jessica, who is (or actually WAS) the world’s fattest child. At 8 years old, Jessica weighed an astonishing 400 pounds. Now, don’t get me wrong there’s nothing wrong with being a chubby kid, but if at 8 years old, your child weighs 400 lbs - Shouldn’t the parents be held accountable? Isn’t that like a form of child abuse?

So, since this video first aired, Jessica lost 320 lbs when the CPS stepped in and transferred her to an obesity clinic. She still has about 20 lbs of loose skin her, for which she needs surgery. Plus, her legs are permanently “bowed” thanks to her former massive weight. Basically, the parents were just feeding her to death. I’m not a parent yet or anything, but even I would know what is right and what is wrong when it comes to my child. So, my question is - should this be considered as child abuse?

 

[Gavik]

Some babies are born without the mechanism that turns off hunger when they are full, so they keep eating and always feel the need to do so. Was this the case with her?

 

[Xeilo]

I guess it could be considered child abuse, the parents should of stepped in when she started to become ridiculously over weight and taken her to a doctor or whatever and get her to start being more healthy.

 

[Bubbles]

You know, I don't know because they never quite make it clear. In the videos they keep saying that she would throw a temper tantrum if she didn't get the food she wanted, so I'm not sure on that.

Btw, I found an English version of the video...

YouTube - Jessica - WAS Worlds Fattest Child

 

[Tucker]

Overfeeding probably doesn't rise to the level of abuse for a lot of people. I think what many would say we have in Jessica is the world's most obvious case of parental neglect. Whichever you call it, those two ought to be ashamed. Can you imagine how wretched the poor kid must have felt when she learned that she was the fattest little girl in the world?

 

[Xeilo]

Overfeeding probably doesn't rise to the level of abuse for a lot of people. I think what many would say we have in Jessica is the world's most obvious case of parental neglect. Whichever you call it, those two ought to be ashamed. Can you imagine how wretched the poor kid must have felt when she learned that she was the fattest little girl in the world?

It is something that will stay with her for the rest of the life even if she does lose all the weight and the skin. In the future she will still be stuck with the childhood pictures or her like that.

 

[konboye]

Some people just don't know what it means to be a parent. Of course, it's child abuse. The passive kind, not the active kind eg sexual abuse. yeesh.

 

[NINnerd]

This seems like a combination of child abuse/neglect and some medical problem. I mean, most kids aren't like that with food (wanting to eat every two hours, throwing tantrums over food, etc.).

I think she has a medical condition, and her mother just gave into it instead of finding out why her child was like that.

Very sad.

The mom needs to be a better role model and go on a diet & exercise program herself. It's hard for a young child to do all that while watching their fat mom eat whatever she wants.

 

[fractal]

No, it's not child abuse in anyway. It's not like her parents were forcing food down her throat. It would have been child abuse if Jessica was emaciated.

 

[Bubbles]

That's true, but I think underfeeding and overfeeding are both forms of child abuse. Her parents are to blame because they were enabling her obesity. Instead of saying "No, its bad for you" they just gave into her tantrums. She has an addiction to food, partly because her parents would let her eat 24/7. She has an addiction to junk food. Sure, some children do have glandular problems, but I don't think I've ever heard or seen a kid balloon to 400 lbs by age 8. My younger brother used to throw temper tantrums all the time when he was little if he didn't get ice cream or pizza or whatever the hell he wanted. My mom'd just put her foot down and say no. I could be wrong, but isn't that a very important part of being a parent? You know, setting limits for your children? I'm just saying, as soon as her mother realized that her daughter was getting at a very abnormal weight, she should've done something for the welfare of her child, instead of feeding her French fries and French toast that add to the problem. There's no question in my mind, that if CPS hadn't stepped in, this little girl wouldn't even make it to 12.