to not want DS to be weighed and measured at school

[choufleur]

Got letter from DS's school today to say that he will be weighed and measured (obviously along with all other kids in his class) to see if he's a healthy weight.

I think it's a completely pointless thing to do. And one that could potentially contribute to healthy children having issues about their weight.

AIBU to not let him be weighed and measured?

I don't know-she hasn't come back. However I think it is quite different. People are complaining about the actual weighing of DCs and that is about change of routine and fear of the unknown -so equally if she went into school everyday and was weighed she would be upset if it was missed.It has nothing to do with schools weighing DCs.

you don't say how old your child is but reception children get weighed and measured by the School Nurse team to get their records up to date from the health visitors, the reception children go in to see the nurse in twos and threes stand on the scales stand under the height chart and leave, they don't know what it's for don't know what the results are and all get a sticker. Most think it's great fun. Personally I can't see any reason why you would refuse. Most schools also do year 6 children.

"there will be times during her school 'career' when the routine has to be broken, and things have to happen which she wasn't expecting"

That's not the point though - this didn't "have" to happen, because Leonie didn't give permission. Not only did it not have to happen, but it shouldn't have happened.

Leonie didn't deny consent just because her child had autism - I read her other thread and was quite active on it - her reasons include ones that were pretty similar to mine. However, the reason she was so annoyed when she was weighed anyway, apart from that of the principle of them doing something without her consent, was the unnecessary distress it caused to her DD.

Unfortunately they do have to cope with change without parent's permission-e.g if I go in to supply teach at short notice, because the teacher is ill, DCs on the autistic spectrum find it very upsetting. There are lots of things that crop up every day which is why a TA helps enormously.
This doesn't apply to most DCs who shouldn't have an issue with being weighed-unless a parent makes it an issue.

flumoxed by people not wanting their children weighed.
it is just for the school health records and to pin point any problems.

not every child comes from a caring family for a start.

if you are embarrassed about it, because your dc is over weight or under weight that is one point, but if you know your child is healthy why shouldnt they be weighed?

SchoolSecretary - apart from the fact that I dont really think schools should get involved in this kind of thing (even if its not the school doing it, its being done at school), if it were just reception children I might just "go with it" on the basis that reception children are pretty oblivious to this kind of thing as far as I am aware, generally, and if for some reason my child was not oblivious and latched on to it, I'd at least be able to address it early with them.

Its the fact that the National Child Measurement Programme does them again at year 6 that bothers me more. I think its a personal enough thing that it should take place in a "safer" enviornment than the same place where schoolyard antics happen.

If there was a very very strict code of practice for the procedure of how it gets done, where the child did not see the number, the nurse was not allowed to react in any way, under no circumstances were they to go in groups or pairs to save time, and the school were not allowed access to the information, that kind of thing, I might feel a bit better about it.

Seriously on various threads on mumsnet recently on this topic we have heard about the school using the data in a chart, children being teased because they heard through the grapevine (school gate chat) that they got a letter saying they were too fat or too thin, I've seen articles and pictures in the Daily Mail (!) of the parents looking all aggreived and their child, branded "fat" standing there with a hurt face (I know that's the parents fault not the programme's, but protecting children from their parents can go both ways!) and all sorts.

I just dont know if I can trust the schools to get it right. The fact that some schools are doing it without permission doesn't fill me with confidence. And year 6 can be a very sensitive time particularly for girls who are developing quickly, or boys who are physically behind.

If you consent to one, you consent to the other (though I suppose it might be possible to withdraw your consent after the reception weighing...)

plus it no doubt goes to government stats, so when you hear how many more overweight kids there are nowadays, this is how they know.

Fair enough I can understand your concerns, our yr 6 go in one at a time they are not told what they weigh but are told their height. If letters are sent out they go to home via Royal mail and it's only common knowledge if the family make it so. We have NEVER been given the results of these tests this is confidential and stays with the school nurse. Have you checked how the process is run in your school.

SlartyBartFest, put it this way.

Imagine you cared very much for your children, did everything you could for them, put them first, and saw to their every need and consequently they were happy, healthy and well cared for.

Then, one day the government decided that there might be some kids who's shoes dont fit properly and that their future foot health was in jeapoardy.

So they spent money they didn't really have sending in Shoe Fitters to take children out of class and check whether or not in fact their parents were providing them with proper fitting shoes.

Some children had just had a growth spurt and their shoes were a little tight, so their parents get a letter home. Some children had just got new shoes that were a bit too big that they were to grow into, so they get a letter home too.

The majority dont get a letter, because they are deemed by this special body of Shoe Fitters to be just right, according to a very general almost arbitary at times formula, which is basically okay, but doesn't allow for the fact that their feet are about to have a growth spurt or might be about to have a growth spurt.

Of course, it also picks up the children who are hobbling around in shoes 4 sizes too small, not that the letter home gets them new shoes, because the parents are unwilling to buy them new shoes, which is why they are hobbling around in shoes 4 sizes too small.

But its all worth it, because it picks up those kids and at least their parents now know their shoes are 4 sizes too small. It doesn't solve their problem, but it picks them up, along with the ones who just had new shoes or are about to get new shoes.

It costs money, it undermines the majority of parents who make sure their children have proper shoes, and takes something that is something that parents have been doing for generations and fucks about with it. It doesn't solve the problem. But hey, at least they are doing something about this shoe problem - why wouldn't you want them to measure your child?

Because its fucking stupid and I'll vote with my feet about how involved I want my children's school or the goverment to get with my parenting, thank you. My children's feet are fine, so you dont have to worry.

Here in Scotland children aren't seen by school nurse/doctor without parent/guardian unless you give permission.
Personally don't see why a parent of a NT child would object dd2 was on the 5th centile at 5 she's 15 now and because of meds she's on gets weight and height done every 6 months she's now underweight they'd like her to put a stone on but she eats plenty so told not to worry.DS ASD[16] was underweight until last year was 5.5 at 14 and 7 stone he's now caught up 5.10 and 11 stone.

so no-one can answer my question as to why MY child should be weighed/measured/eyes tested etc etc

why should he?

how does it help others?

what is the huge problem with me saying, thanks, but no thanks, we don't need this?

Your DD is a bit of a 'red herring' on here Leonie because it was the change of routine that was upsetting-not the being weighed. If she had been left in the classroom with 2 other DCs while the rest went off to be weighed she would still have been upset. There probably wouldn't have been anyone for her to stay with, so those not being weighed would probably have had to go with the others and just not stood on the scales. It was still a change of routine and she still equally wouldn't understand it.
For those who do understand it I can't see why standing on scales is an issue-unless the parent makes it one.

For a number of reasons I refused to have the DDs weighed and measured at school. The school nurse phoned to ask why and if I would change my mind. I just said no and it was left at that.

Three perfectly average sized children in her class were sent letters stating their size was a cause for concern. These children were normal. Not large or small in any way, it was bizarre!

happens here ds will be weighed but have warned school nurse i dont want to hear i know he is very small and very slight , below 9% for both and yes i know his head is bigger 75% line .But he is already under a paed and gentics and has a staement etc .

Dd is tiny to 9% for everything but perfectley in proportion and she has always been tiny so i just ignore anything tht is sent ,~ she is also on high fat diet

But school nurse is copied in a smatter of fact to paeds letters so really its a form filling thing tickbox for her

As others have said its not the school, its the PCT all children are weighed in reception unless parents opt out.

TBH I don't really understand why any parent would withdraw consent such that their child was the one who wasn't weighed. I don't think very occasional weighing (like once every 6 months / 1 year) is going to make a child have issues about weight.

The initiative was introduced as more children are suffering from type 2 diabetes so the idea is to catch some of the at risk children in reception - hence who are you to say its pointless - like saying any screening procedure is pointless eg cervical smears are pointless as only a very few will have cervical cancer.

All that being said, if you don't want your child to be weighed then just don't consent.

Its definitely possible to have a slim, even skinny looking child come out just on the edge of obese due to height if they are also densely packed in terms of lean mass. It takes into account height, but the taller the child, the less amount of leeway within the range, meaning you only then have to have a slightly better body composition in terms of muscle to edge into overweight or obese. Bear in mind at reception age the difference between overweight and obese can be as little as a pound depending on height.

Also, age is taken into account, which basically penalises children who are "ahead" for their age. EVEN IF THEIR HEIGHT AND WEIGHT IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS AN OLDER CHILD.

Example. A child of 120cm and 25kg who was born in 2007 so is 3 years old is considered overweight.

A child of 120cm and 25kg who was born in 2005 is considered overweight.

The are exactly the same height and weight.

If you have a child who is tall for their age but not skinny with it, just normal, they will almost definitely show up as obese or overweight, simply due to their height, as the chart doesn't "like" you to be too tall.

This is the chart they use for the national child measurement programme. Play around with the age thing and see what I mean.

Sorry I fecked that up - the child of 120cm and 25kg born in 2005 is not considered overweight

2 years older, exactly the same, but one is overweight and one is not. Simply due to the year they were born.

So if you are ahead for your years, you are overweight regardless of your height.