School Nurse thinks I'm fat mom...

Published

Did you guys see this?

https://www.yahoo.com/parenting/mom-claims-school-fat-shamed-6-year-old-the-mother-110557012432.html

I'm obviously acutely aware of the fact that there are so many overweight kiddos in elementary school now. Their diet consists of Cheetos and cola and pizza, etc.

But, I don't do this assessment and I don't send home these kinds of letters.

What about you all?

Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

Oh my!! That teacher would be getting an earful and then recant in front of the class if that was my kid. :mad: My kids get a gas station breakfast of donuts and bananas probably once a month, and I'm not even sick/injured like your mom was. I just fly solo with five kids because my husband travels for work, and there are just some days when I can't get it together enough to get five kids out the door by 0730 AND make breakfast. I'll feed my kids what I choose to feed my kids, and you teach them. That's what your job is. Grr.

I'm very sorry what you went through in school created such serious issues. I agree that's so sad about the little girl thinking she needs to lose weight, too.

I don't work in schools anymore and I never worked in an elementary school but that kid looks perfectly healthy to me. I did have a four old patient (Oncology patient, ALL, gets steroid pulses q 3 weeks) make a comment to me a couple weeks ago about how she needed to lose weight. That may have been the saddest thing I've ever heard a four year old little girl say. And, while she has gained some weight from her steroids, that is to be expected.

I have very specific memories of this kind of stuff from elementary school. I remember being weighed in gym class in 4th grade in front of everyone. I remember having to do a project in 5th grade where we kept track of our intake. I remember that my mother had injured herself/couldn't stand and my father bought us donuts for breakfast one day. I remember that the teacher called me up to her desk and berated me in front of the entire class because I ate a donut for breakfast one day.

Is it any wonder that, at 19, I was hospitalized for anorexia and bulimia?

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We are no longer required to do height/weight/BMI in state of Texas - I only record new students to the school/district, I do think it is a good thing to have a baseline just in case something comes up in the future. We are required to do Acanthosis Nigricans screening - so if I have AN+ kids I do include the height, weight & BMI info in the letter to the parents.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
We are no longer required to do height/weight/BMI in state of Texas - I only record new students to the school/district, I do think it is a good thing to have a baseline just in case something comes up in the future. We are required to do Acanthosis Nigricans screening - so if I have AN+ kids I do include the height, weight & BMI info in the letter to the parents.

It's coincidental I'm doing my acanthosis referrals now (1st and 3rd grade)....the referral letters inform parents their child is in the "obesity category" and, in some cases, "hypertensive or pre-hypertensive category." I think I'll hold onto them and send them home on Friday!! :sneaky:

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Specializes in School Nurse, Pediatrics, Surgical.

My son goes to a private school and the nurse there does the whole weight, height, BMI thing. Then she prints out this document about it all. My son is not overweight so I don't pay much attention to it but I can see how it can we slightly annoying!

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Specializes in as above.

BMI is evasive. It does not take in account, body size. I am classed as overweight, my stats: 6'4", 220lb large frame, I am big on top, normal pant size. Dont believe everything you read! Thats why the Internet is 90%,pure BS. My ?? is at what point do you see yourself or your kid as fat, obese, and decide to do something about it.

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