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Weight loss Surgery & Children
Obese children are a rapidly growing group in today’s society and they are sitting on a time bomb. Their life expectancy is being cut by numerous years, some decades due to them developing chronic diseases that are usually seen in the middle aged to the elderly.
Due to our international childhood obesity epidemic, weight loss surgeons
are now taking the drastic measure and launching weight reduction surgery
for adolescents as well as adults. Treatment consists of radical surgery
on those children who are morbidly obese. Adolescent candidates should
have made numerous attempts to lose weight and show that they live with
a greater risk for developing serious illnesses if weight loss surgery
is not performed. They also must prove that they are willing to make a
commitment 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 Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure
and being placed in a high risk group for cardiovascular diseases. Obese children
will grow into very sick adults if they do not lose their weight.
Not surprisingly, bariatric surgery is risky, mainly because teens tend to
be bigger than the adults that undergo the surgery. Since they are younger,
side effects and long-term effects such as bone and calcium are not known.
However, it has to be argued that children undergoing surgery will be expected
to live longer.
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, small bowel obstruction, blood clots, drug reactions, anaesthesia reactions, infection, haemorrhage, vomiting, nutritional deficiencies and diarrhoea.
Candidates for obesity surgery are strictly selected by examining the emotional and environmental impacts that certain obese children face. It is critical that an adolescent understands the surgery’s risks and accepts the behaviour modification that is essential for the surgery to be a safe success.
Obesity surgery not only changes an individual’s appearance, it also significantly affects their lifestyle. Candidates must be able to pass many tests that are psychological and cognitive before being accepted. Some don’t pass due to their immaturity and inability to deal with the issues following surgery.
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