An obese child due to a rare genetic disorder of obesity, falls victim to ridicule and his mother tries to fight racism against the different.
Molly D'Angelo, from Michigan, USA, is the mother of 3 boys.
A few years ago, when she gave birth to her third child, she did not expect how things would turn out for her family.
Her young son was diagnosed with an illness, which was to radically change what she and her husband knew until then.
She shared her story on lovewhatmatters.com, wanting all parents to know that her child is worth as much as all children, while trying in her own way to fight racism against the different.
Obese child: He gained almost 3 kilos in the first 7 weeks of life
"When Joshua was born, he weighed just over 3 kilos and started gaining weight immediately after birth. He gained almost another 3 kilos and grew by 3 cm only in the 7th week of his life. My husband and I began to feel that something was not going well. "The baby never wanted to stay down, he did not stop moving and he was too noisy", the mother writes about the first signs that her baby gave regarding his condition.
"Our doctors assured us that he was just a lively baby or that he was suffering from colic and surely as he grew older the situation would change. Having raised two boys I knew things were not exactly that way, but I left the bad thoughts behind.
Obese child: Ten months old weighed 15 kg and followed a diet
Joshua weighed 15 pounds when he was just 10 months old and we constantly went to doctor appointments to adjust his diet. It was then that the doctors began to take his condition seriously and began to send us from one specialist to another. For many months we went to doctors, we fed the child, we measured every calorie and we constantly put him to examinations ", the mother continues her story.
Obese child: Diagnosed with a rare, genetic disorder of obesity
"I do not remember exactly when I heard that my child was diagnosed with a rare, genetic obesity disorder. We did not do anything wrong, no accident happened: He was born that way. He grows up very fast, he belongs to the autism spectrum, he does not develop properly, he has difficulty moving, his liver does not function as it should, he has sleep problems: These are just some of the things my child is facing.
Little Joshua has undergone surgery, spent days and nights in hospitals, has been on medication and almost always needs me by his side. That's not my problem, though, ”the mother continues shortly before referring to what really worries her about her child and the society in which she grows up.
"All this was something new for me and it fundamentally changed my worldview. To make ends meet I ask for help and I have a wonderful team that supports me and my child. It's hard to tell our story sometimes, but I will do it another time.
There is, very often, a misconception about obesity. Many people think that we do not pay attention to our child's diet or that we do not take care of it properly. People can become incredibly rude and insult you in a way you do not expect.
Obese child: The child struggles to be accepted
There is nothing sadder than seeing your child struggle to be accepted. We were told that Joshua would never walk and yet some days he seems immobile. Yes, he needs a wheelchair for long distances, but he walks!
Obese child: It is impossible to predict what this child can do
He is a typical 4-year-old little bomber! With him some things have become almost impossible, such as walking in the sea, while we have to put enough limits on everything, because it is impossible to predict what this kid can do.
Obese child: The uncomfortable moment with the parents of other children
I love when my son sees other kids in the shops, for example. Everything shows interest in him. They want to be his friends. The awkward moment is when their parents and I look into each other's eyes. They look at me with a style that expresses shame, sadness or disgust!
Obese child: The little one still does not realize how bad the world is
Personally, I encourage my son to talk and greet the children. I think it also helps parents feel more comfortable. The little one still does not realize how bad the world is and what worries me and his dad is the future. However, telling our story we found people who understand us and we became a member of a community.
Obese child: His siblings would not be what they are without their little brother
And although the fear for the future is intense and constant, in my family we choose to live in every moment. Joshua made us all more patient, more "loving" and more understanding. "He turns us into another, better version of ourselves and - really - I think his siblings would not be what they are without their little brother," says Molly, just before closing her letter.
"Do you know anything?" We do not know what life has in store for any of us. I used to say that I could never take care of a person with autism or any other difficulty, as some of my friends did. I live it now! "Having lived for 4 years with this child, I would not change this trip for anything ...", he concludes.
via: Enimerotiko