Wednesday, 09 July 2008
-
My instincts were right
Sophie had her doctor's appointment today and the doctor affirmed that it was definitely high time I bring Sophie in since she hadn't seen a pediatrician since we lived in California. I expressed my concerns over her weight and Jeff's family history and we went right to work on things. First of all, Sophie's 91 pounds. She's 49 3/4 inches tall. She's a little taller than most kids her age, but she's also a lot heavier. It was estimated that she should weight a good 30 pounds less for sure. We checked her BMI -- that's body mass index and she's off the charts -- not a good thing. A child in the 95th percentile is considered obese -- she's like in the 105th percentile (her number was 26.6 and 21 puts kids in the 95th) if there's such a thing. Eek! The doctor said she has central obesity -- her tum-tum -- and asked me how Sophie's weighed over the years. Both of my daughters were eight-pound babies, but whereas Emily followed a more sedate route, Sophie sort of... blossomed. I laughingly called her my Buddha baby because she was round and roly-poly. She'd go through growth spurts where she'd slim a bit, but then her appetite would catch her right back up again.
Anyway, we talked about the diabetes on Jeff's side of the family and Sophie had her blood sugar checked: 80, which is perfectly healthy (she was shocked by the prick though, whoops!). We're going to check her cholesterol and a few other things with another blood test next week, and the doctor wants to see her every six months from now on. I feel vindicated that my instincts were right on this one. I am so glad to hear the most important thing though: Sophie is basically a very healthy little girl who's had her little troubles in the past with reflux and eczema, but overall, is doing just fine and simply needs to adjust her exercise output and her food intake. Yea!
And that's it. We're about to settle down to some dinner. The girls helped me mix up the dumplings and they really look yummy. Jeff thought he'd be home by five, but uh... he's halfway down to Cottage Grove right now so he won't be home until perhaps seven or eight -- still before I'm home, but I have to take the girls with me. Eek. It's dog obedience night, but my supervisor is moving quickly to increase my nighttime work responsibilities. I need to find a sitter who can handle last-minute notification very soon.
*waves*
-
recommend
- recs 0
-
share
-
email
- sent 0
Post a Comment
- Back to Zvanoizu's Xanga Site!
- Note: your comment will appear in Zvanoizu's local time zone: GMT -08:00 (Pacific Standard - US, Canada)
Comments (9)
Always good to know your instincts are in the right place, especially when it comes to kids!
Have you heard the statics on kids still in their single digits (age) having type 2 diabetes? My surgeon said he knows of four kids under the age of ten with type 2. In last nights paper they had an article on kids going on Chlorestrol medicine. God that is so insane. Has she had her thyroid checked? If not, I think I would ask and then demand. Keep a food diary. Would be amazed what things can go into a mouth during the day "I ate that?"
@Baroness_Fritinanci - I know the statistics are very high and thus why I took her in, especially given her family history and since her daddy has Type 2. We're not too worried about her thyroid at this point, but I will inquire on the next visit. I've a fairly good idea of what's been going into her mouth... *hides the bag of candy scored from last Friday's parade* Whoo!
my boy was borned a big baby, then I got worried about later on he would be taking after my side of the family. as he grew he fat roly poly legs (looked like miniture ham hocks) got longer and the fat went away. he can eat like he has been starving. and he is quite thin. i catch myself hiding things so he won't eat his treats for school, and anything else for that matter. as parents we do worry, and you're doing all the right things. my kid (when I could actually bribe him to help with the house chores) we would put on his kids music and blast it and we would power clean up. such a work out. and the house got cleaned. then I got a headache from the loud music. I can still hear that tootie song. and the kid wore himself out and settled down for a few hours. They did the same thing here when we had our parade, candy...candy... more candy. Lasts years was more fun, we got freebies. water bottles, shampoo, totes.
I'm so glad you took her in just to fine out. And, now Mommy need to go in to make sure her cholesterol and all is okay. Ahem. And, don't give me any guff about it. *snickers* Just a general blood work for you and blood pressure check up. (NO coffee before you go. hehehehe) But do go...after all Sophie had to. Pffffrrrttttttt.....
you should get both girls to play with other kids in the neigborhood. playing tag at school may be banned, but it's still fun to play at home. riding a bike around and playing at the park are good too. swimming?
I think it's great you are getting sophie's weight sorted while she is still little. Its so much harder as a teenager to suddenly nto be able to have as much food or your favourite foods. She always looks healthy and happy to me in your pictures and videos. I hope the blood tests go well and the needle isnt too scary
@azn_qt1 - The girls do play with other children in the neighborhood and fortunately, tag is not banned -- that I know of. LOL. Not here at least. They have scooters and bikes -- and they've gotten quite a bit of swimming in this summer already -- Emily was chasing Sophie around with her jump rope yesterday, telling her she was going to be jumping soon. Ehehehe.
I have nothing but admiration and respect for you for taking her in. It's very worrisome that she's so off the charts, especially where the diabetes is concerned and especially with cholesterol, etc also in the higher ends and all the complications involved..
You may have to change out some things for higher-fibre, more filling substitutes. I was very involved with diabetic diets, both myself in pregnancy and my dad's long problems and eventual death from it. I know you do very complete meals, but having loads of fruit or veggies for the family to increase those while decreasing the more caloric items (and everybody should do it so that she doesn't feel picked on or deprived) ... a typical "healthy" diet is not anywhere what most people think it's supposed to be--- only 4-5 oz of meat per day is more than enough, and no white flour anything (it's basically straight sugar once it hits the stomach, and goes through faster than anything else, which is why one can feel starved after only an hour), no fruit juice--I had no idea that juice could be bad! A "serving" of juice is only a third to a half a little juice box; a whole one is 2-3 servings, and juices hit the bloodstream as pure sugar within about 5 minutes of drinking them (apple or grape are the worst), and the thing that should fill half a plate at every single meal? High-fibre veggies, like broccoli, carrots, celery, cauliflower, etc. Lettuce salads are good, but are not all that filling, and what we add to salads makes them not that great (myself, I am an Italian dressing and cheddar on my salad person, but have learned to manage without for the most part, and only a tiny bit of dressing or I make my own low-oil version). My dietician was saying that granola or breakfast bars are another HUGE culprit--- cookies in disguise, and the equivalent usually to 4 or 5 cookies when it comes to sugar and fat content.
But most people have a plate of food for dinner and it's usually three-quarters filled with meat and potatoes (or starch) and only a tiny spoonful of a vegetable--- it's supposed to look the opposite! AND we're not supposed to get so hungry we sit down to these huge meals---those at risk or needing medically to lose weight should be eating 6-8 tiny meals every day...and by tiny meals it's a half-sandwich on whole grain bread with a quarter-cup of celery or carrots and a TBSP of dip with a 6-8 oz glass of milk. Milk is really good for keeping the tummy sated, and for evening out blood sugars.
While I'm writing about high sugar contents, I fully believe that artificial sweetener is practically poison. I do not think our bodies quite know what to do with it---it's a chemical just like any other "chemical" that people scream about having contamination in food or from factories that spew chemicals into the air. The most recent studies (and there have been quite a few of them now) is that people who drink diet pop, or diet juice, or eat foods prepared with Splenda or whatever... they are overall not as able to get the weight off or keep weight off, ie are more likely to gain 10 lbs in a month, or only be able to lose 5 lbs and then plateau no matter what they do. A measured teaspoon of sugar is only 16 calories, and our body knows exactly how to deal with it, unless there is insulin resistance (a precurser to type II diabetes, and which I have and have to really watch my food intake and watch that I have it spaced out over the day, as 3-square-meals are not in the best interest of either a diabetic OR someone looking to lose excess weight)
I think in the long run though, if you all can make changes to diet and exercise, you'll in-effect be saving little Soph's life. Obesity brings a myriad of unique deadly health hazards, and most are fully preventable (heart disease, blindness, strokes, kidney failure, amputation of limbs to name a few of the serious complications of diabetes).
I know that she's not diabetic, even though I'm talking about blood-sugars--- everyone has blood sugars, and everyone needs to eat properly or run the risk of screwing them up. Type I and II diabetes used to be "Jeuvenile" or "Adult-Onset" --- they had to change the names of them because kids are getting the adult-onset, and some are insuling dependant simply because they are insulin resistant, meaning they need twice as much insulin circulating.
Best of luck to you on this... I think the exercise part will be fairly easy, as you're always off and going somewhere or doing something every day... you're always putting up pics of going to this place or that place or a beach or mountain. You are all quite active to begin with, but for Sophie it will probably mean a bit more serious exercise and getting her heart rate up into target zones.
