A small but growing group of young teens are turning to drastic treatments to lose large amounts of weight, things like body-altering surgery and new drugs that rewire metabolism.
John Simon III was a hungry baby, a"chunky" toddler and a chubby little boy, his mother said. But by age 14, his weight had soared to 430 pounds and was a life-threatening medical condition.
"John has tried with all of his might," said his mother, Karen Tillman, 46, an accountant."It's not because he couldn't try. It was getting harder and harder." Mental Health America, an advocacy group, called them"dangerous" and"disheartening," saying they would increase eating disorders and perpetuate harmful stigma regarding weight. Some on social media accused doctors and parents of taking the easy way out, blaming things like junk food or video games -- or accusing parents of"child abuse."
"It's already affecting major organs by the time they get to me," Pratt said."You're dealing with a train that's headed over a cliff." John, who has a shy smile and a soft voice, asked for help. He said he wanted to go on a"journey to wellness," Rowe recalled. John's surgery was covered by Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid program, which paid for 47 operations for kids ages 11 to 17 last year, according to state health records. Across the U.S., Medicaid coverage of weight-loss surgery for kids varies significantly by state.
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