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I remember the time when we had an annual health checkup in school. A doctor sometimes accompanied by a nurse would come to the school and examine students over a couple of days. We were subjected to preliminary tests including sight and hearing tests. For us as long as we weren’t in the classroom we were content goofing off in a ‘free period’. Until of course, it was our chance with the doctor. The doctor would listen to our heart beat using his stethoscope, check our weight, mark our height and on one occasion, one doctor even held the balls of the boys and asked us to cough. We were sure that we have been molested until a doctor friend told me that it is a valid medical test for something that I now forget. A report card-like form would be then sent to our parents who would look at it once and ask us to eat our vegetables yet again and ask us not to read in low light.
Of course, now we live in a complex world and especially in the United States, children obesity is a prickly but real issue for parents. Recently, at Hyannis Elementary School Jasmine, a 4-foot tall, 66-pound, third-grader was sent home (as in after school) last week with a letter stating she was ”at risk of becoming overweight.” That pissed off her mom who was expecting her daughter to go the Nicole Richtie way. “It is none of the school’s business”, thundered her mom as she cried out against state intervention in an individual’s life argument.
”Since my son was born, we’ve had the same pediatrician for the past 17 years. If there was a problem, he would have told me,” Elliott said. ”She probably can eat healthier but that’s for the doctor and me to decide, not the school nurse” [source].
Upon first look, I agreed with the mom but as I read through the article, I saw that the school had merely conducted a health checkup out of good faith [and of course, as a part of a federal law requirement] like they did in India. The report was simply a ‘educational tool’ helping parents to be aware of their children’s health. The ‘your kid is fat’ statement was just a line indicating that her kid had a high BMI which might cause trouble with chronic diseases later on in her life. The mom’s grouse was that the letter might have a detrimental impact on her daughter but hey, truth might be bitter. If parents do not appreciate precautionary information provided [free, of course] by the schools, they better not make a scene at the next PTA meeting. The school never indicated that it would do anything about her ‘overweight kid’.
A little dose of reality helps. If you want proof just look at the worst of the American Idol auditions. You see plenty of horrible and offkey singers who have been told by their ‘friends and family’ that they have a magical voice. They believe that and humilate themselves on national TV. Now, which caused more detrimental impact on your kid - you decide.
Technorati Tags: health, school, checkup, obesity, children
by Patrix | on Tuesday, January 9th, 2007 at 10:41 am | 
Health, Society Culture, The world is ill, United States . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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January 9th, 2007 at 2:45 pm reply
Hmm. Here one of the medic, during a routine check-up of a kid, had told his mom that his brain growth might not have been as expected for his age. She was so worried for next 3 months that it was nothing but the speculation she spoke about. Finally after tests, it turned out to be a false alarm. Maybe nothing to do with this young lady’s story, but interesting.
January 9th, 2007 at 5:08 pm reply
N, I agree that some doctors can be quick to jump to conclusions especially with infants but at least it lets us take preventive or early-action measures. Better safe than sorry, I guess.