A Friend of Mine Child Is 15 Years Old and Is the Same Size as an Adult

Medications aren't just dependent on size - don't forget that people under 18 (ESPECIALLY teens) have a different chemical makeup than adults! Definitely consult a doctor for help!

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Any diet pills are a bad idea. There are really no short cuts to weight loss. She is young, so I would have her checked out by the doctor if she hasn't been already. After making certain there are no other issues, proper diet and exercise will help her to become fit and her parents should participate in that with her and model what is correct. She should be encouraged in making healthy choices and cutting sugar out of her diet. Help her to understand that everyone will not be thin, but everyone can be healthy and fit so that she can be proud of her body no matter what size it happens to be.

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call the pedi nurse before giving her the meds. my son was given a med that is fine for an adult but for people 17 and under, whos bodies are still developing, it can be very unhealthy and have horrible side effects. i am 5'3" and have been over weight most of my life. i was about 175 at 15 but by 23 i weighted 230. i went to a weight loss doctor and found out i was insulin resistant. that explained why doctors were testing me for diabeties and results were negative. have her thyroid tested too. diet pills are a tempary fix, not a life style change like the young girl needs. * i have seen many people suggest weight watchers, for all the people that i have seen go on weight watchers non of them have keept it up nor kept the weight off.

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Don't teach the child bad weight management techniques by starting a diet pill...this is not the answer. I agree, she needs to see a doctor first to ensure nothing else is going on. The best plan is to adjust the types and amounts of food she eats and exercise. I highly recommend gettting her to watch the Biggest Loser for inspiration. Just hearing other peoples stories and struggles and seeing them turn their live around emotionally & phycially has motivated many people to get fit & loose weight. Look at the Biggest Loser website for their stories and transformations...it's amazing (check out Daniel's story, 18 yr old). Give her plenty of encouragement and love. My heart goes out to her and I truly hope she can work through this and be a happier teenager.

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First recommend your friend get their child examined by the pediatrician. Secondly, if there are no medical problems, then suggest she go to a nutritionist who can help their child and family develop healthy eating and exercise habits. Taking something OTC will only be a temporary fix if the root of the problem is not approached first. Good Luck!

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Weight lost pills are not good for anyone regardless of age. She needs to learn about proper eating. What about weight watchers or Jenny Craig. I knew someone who did JC in high school. Excerise, no way around it.

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Go see the doctor before ANY over the counter pills are given! She needs to have all her levels checked and see if she has something medically wrong first (ie tyroid...etc) The doctor can give her a good nutrion plan. I HIGHLY reccomend Weight Watchers to them! Because she is young the doctor will have to give her a note to particpate. Best of luck to your friend and her child. Nip it in the bud now! While she is still young.

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My 13 year old daughter hit the 95 percentile on her weight....what this means is that for every 100 kids her age, 95 of them weigh less than her. She wouldn't listen to me on this...partly because that was her "protection" mechanism for her feelings. This is what I did:

First, I took her to a nutritionist. This made a difference in how she looked at food. I also learned that I was being too terribly hard on her with wanting her to make ALL the changes ALL at the same time.

Second, I signed her up at a gym. I found a gym that is small with a group class where she went three times a week. We did this for three months. She lost a lot of inches (though I wish we would have measured her), and 10 lbs over the course of the three months. This is a very moderate weight loss, but also a safe weight loss. However, she is 100 lbs lighter than the 15 yr old you are speaking of and can more than likely drop a lot faster. AND, we both now have a membership and I still take her three times a week to work out with her. A lot of times I let her lead the workout. I just help when she is pondering what we will do.

I am not sure where you are located, but the gym I use is in Atascocita, BUT I am pretty certain that they have other locations, or partner locations, something like that. Inspired Fitness. The trainers are WONDERFUL there! My daughter walks in and out of that place with a smile on her face....ALWAYS!

PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU ARE INTERESTED. I WILL BE HAPPY TO GATHER WHATEVER INFO. THE BEST GIFT YOU CAN GIVE A CHILD IS THEIR HEALTH.

My daughter's self esteem and whole general outlook on life is SOOOOOO MUCH BETTER!!!!!

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My heart breaks for this child. We are seeing this more than we should and too many times it will not end good. She SHOULD NOT give that child anything over the counter for weight loss. It is dangerous!

Yes, she should consult a physician. Are the parents obese as well?

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Please have your friend take her child to an "Endocrinology" because it could really be a medical problem like Thyroid disorder. And they could also check for diabetic which also can cause weigh gain. If everything is normal then that doctor can also help with the weight gain, I would not use over the counter weight loss pills. It will take the support of her whole family and friends to help with the weight coming off.
I wish the child lots of luck.
One more thing, if while this child is watching TV have him/her move (like moving his legs up and down, or do the same with the arms) at least that would be a start to some movement.

Well I would check with the doctor, but usually dosage goes more by size than age, although I wouldn't say that is true 100% of the time. As far as something over the counter for weight loss, that doesn't sound like a good idea. This young lady is growing and developing her reproductive system and is still in need of a very good balance of proper nutrition, exercise and rest. I think the best thing would be to have her checked out by a doctor and get an eating plan that can help her with her weight loss goals while ensuring she is getting the right nutrition. At this age, helping her get the weight off is really crucial. Social development can be so hindered by weight. When I was about 10 I was pretty chunky. I was about 5'3" (I am a tall gal) and weight like 150 or so. My mom was concerned so she talked to me about getting off sugar to help me get my weight off. It worked great and I was slender all through jr/high school. It was helpful that my mom has healthy eating habits and taught me the same. If her parents have bad habits, the first step is probably to get themselves under more healthy eating habits to demonstrate to her. She is so young that if she puts her mind to it that weight will come off quickly. So my vote is talk to the dr, stay away from quick fixes that don't tend to create life style change. I wish her the best!

Hi P.,
Never, ever, take something over the counter for weight loss. These products are full of all sorts of chemicals that can do irreversable harm to young girls. There are so many other outlets available. She should investigate a more healthy way for her daughter to lose weight with the correct vitamins and nutrients for a healthy weight loss. dieting if not controlled can also lead to yoyo dieting and as she grows older it will be bad for her. She should be under the supervision of a medical professional- if there are no underlying reasons for the weight problem then she should try weight watchers or something like that. If funds are the issue PM me and I can let her in on a site where she can get really good information for weitht loss.
good luck and blessings

First off, she needs to take her to a Doctor. Could be glandular. Secondly, she could try Weight Watchers. It really does work and she'll be able to eat most of the foods she already does. Hope that helps!

The parents need to take a good look at what she's eating. If she's eating nothing but junk food, fast food, sodas, candy, then that's the problem. She doesn't need something over the counter for weightloss, she just needs to eat better & get more exercise. She needs to go out & play, join a dance class, play sports, something to get her outdoors & away from video games & tv (if that's what she normally does, that is) or just sitting around at home. If she IS getting exercise outside of school & not eating 'junk' then she may have a thyroid problem or other medical issue & should see a dr first to determine if that's the cause of her obesity. Hope this helps & Good luck!

I think that most medicines say on the bottle 12 years and up use the adult dosage. Being young and so overweight is really tough on a child. I hope they figure something out, but I am wondering why they waited so long? At 15 , 5'4' and 217 lbs, there has been a weight issue for a long time. If the parents are heavy too, it might be that the whole family needs a lifestyle change, or it could just be hereditary. I wish her all the best.

Have your friend take her to the pediatrician first to rule out any glandular problems, then to a nutritionist to learn how to eat properly. I know that telling a teenager that junk food is off limits is really hard, but that's what needs to happen. Also, the parents need to do the same. Exercise, LOTS of vegetables, moderate amounts of fruit, protein, and carbs, with very little fats and sugars, will make a huge difference! DIET PILLS ARE NOT THE ANSWER!

Go by weight! Most meds will have the 12 and over as the max dosage anyway. But, weight is what to go by, the age is just a guideline. But, I wouldn't put her on any diet pills. Just start moving with her. Move more, eat less.