Weight loss Surgery And Children
Obese children are a fast growing group in today’s society and they are sitting on a time bomb. Due to the developing chronic diseases that are usually seen in the middle aged to the elderly, their life expectancy is being cut by numerous years, some decades.
Weight loss surgeons are now taking the drastic measure and launching weight reduction surgery for adolescents as well as adults due to our international childhood obesity epidemic. Treatment consists of radical surgery on those children who are morbidly obese.
Adolescent Candidates
Adolescent candidates should have made many attempts to lose weight and show that they live with a greater risk for developing serious diseases if weight loss surgery is not done.
They also must prove that they are willing to make a dedication that is life long with regards to their lifestyle, diet and physical activity. Concerns regarding obese children are being taken more and more seriously.
Many obsess adolescents are now developing high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, and being placed in a high risk group for cardiovascular diseases. If obese children do not lose their weight, they will grow into very sick adults.
Not surprisingly, mainly because teens tend to be bigger than the adults that undergo the weight loss surgery, bariatric surgery is risky. Side effects and long term effects such as bone and calcium are not known because they are younger.
However, it has to be argued that children undergoing surgery will be expected to live longer. During bariatric surgery, the anatomy of the digestive system is changed, limiting the amount of food that a person can eat and digest.
Obesity surgery for adults has been around for approximately 50 years but for children, its comparatively new and has only been around since the 1980s. There is very little research on its long term effects due to it being new.
Weight Loss Surgery Risks
Patients and parent must be informed and understand that bariatric surgery is major surgery and like any other major surgery, it carries considerable risks, including the risk of death.
There are complications which depend upon the type of procedure including leakage from the intestines, drug reactions, anaesthesia reactions, infection, haemorrhage, vomiting, small bowel obstruction, blood clots, nutritional deficiencies and diarrhoea.
Emotional And Environmental Impacts
Candidates for weight loss surgery are strictly selected by examining the emotional and environmental effects that certain obese children face. It is critical that an adolescent understands the weight loss surgery risks and accept the behaviour modification that is necessary for the surgery to be a safe success.
Obesity surgery not only changes an individual’s appearance, it also drastically affects their lifestyle. Before being accepted, candidates must be able to pass many tests that are psychological and cognitive. Some don’t pass due to their immaturity and inability to deal with the issues following weight loss surgery.
