Obese girl, five, finally gets help with weight problem
Frieda Croghan, whose daughter Danielle is more than double the recommended weight for her age, was concerned she could die without urgent medical attention.
Danielle gained two stone during her year-long wait for a referral.
He mother became particularly concerned last May when an obese three-year-old had died from heart failure in a British hospital.
But it was only when Ms Croghan made a desperate appeal for her daughter through the media last May that a public health nurse arranged for Danielle to attend a community dietician near her home in Coolock, Dublin.
Professor Denis Gill, a Temple Street Children’s Hospital consultant, later saw her.
A recent study of 18,000 children carried out by University College Cork found one-third of four-year-olds are overweight and about 13% are obese.
Ms Croghan said her daughter’s weight had stabilised and was hoping it would remain under control as she developed.
“I am watching what she is eating and giving her smaller portions,” said Ms Croghan.
Her mother was also delighted tests established there was no medical reason for her daughter’s dramatic weight gain. Danielle’s sister, Gemma, is aged 15 and is a slim size eight.
Ms Croghan was also worried Danielle had developed a breathing problem because of her weight.
“She’s a very active girl, you might even say she’s hyper sometimes. She runs around with the other children but she has a big red face on her and finds it hard to keep up,” she said.
When Ms Croghan is sitting downstairs she can hear Danielle breathing upstairs.
Medical tests have established that Danielle has a problem with her adenoids, a condition that is unconnected with her weight.
Ms Croghan has to buy clothes made for children aged 12 so they will fit Danielle, who has been taunted by other children about her size.
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