CW: fatness, neurodivergence, disability, parenting
My child (autistic+ADHD, PDAer, 7 years old) has gotten markedly fatter in the last year. This has coincided with a few things: burning out of school and staying home "homeschooling", being on an SSRI (fluoxetine aka Prozac), vastly increased screen time, vastly reduced outdoor time, and increased between-meal hunger and snack frequency.
Regarding his eating: it is very well possible that earlier (while he was still in a regular school routine), he had been hungry before and not eating enough, owing to lack of time, stress, and interoceptive difficulties. In terms of the specific foods he eats, he is a little picky and gravitates to processed/carby food when hungry but not more than average for a kid his age.
During this year, he has gone from being what would be described as a skinny kid to what would be described as a fat kid, so it's been a very rapid and noticeable shift. His former pediatrician called out his BMI (we "fired" her for mentioning it in front of him, but not for mentioning it to us).
We do not comment to him on his weight or body at all, ever, and we rarely comment on his eating except sometimes to steer him away from overindulging on processed food to less-processed food, especially when he is asking for his third afternoon snack.
I don't know how to think about this weight gain. On the one hand, I know that the general discourse on fatness (including in the medical establishment) does far more harm than good. On the other hand, my main concern is whether this rapid weight gain at a young age can cause permanent health effects, especially if it continues or grows further.
And then, what to do about it? The lifestyle changes I mentioned above are not within our control, owing to his neurotype. So even if this weight gain *is* long-term bad, is it something we have to just radically accept, as we have accepted other changes in our expectations? But I at least want to be clear-eyed about what the costs and benefits are.
Important note: if you do not have insight beyond "common sense" on both neurodivergence and pediatric health, please refrain from commenting. (Being parent to an autistic kid or internet research does not count as insight, unless you have spent a lot of time learning rigorously from trusted sources. If you lean towards ABA or behaviorism please refrain from commenting. If you are unsure whether you have standing to comment, please refrain from commenting.)
Insights from autistic people and fat people (esp those who were fat as kids) especially appreciated. |
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