The decision to place a teenager in a therapeutic center is well thought out. This cutoff from the family environment should not be experienced as abandonment or rejection. If the doctors deem the admission relevant, it is up to them and the parents to make the young person understand the value of this process. In a few months, the teenager will resume healthy eating habits to break the vicious circle in which he finds himself. Ashamed of his weight, the young man stands aside so as not to suffer from the gaze of others and takes refuge in the food. At the center, he will learn to eat balanced, varied and at regular times. The goal is not to look like a vine at the end of the stay but to lose a reasonable weight that you will not regain afterwards, once you get home. Patients must also regain the desire to move. They follow a fitness program – free from the teasing they have heard so far in sports – supposed to make them want to continue physical activity on the way out.
These young people are surrounded by a team of complementary professionals: doctor, dietitian, educator but also psychologist. The latter must help them regain self-confidence and reclaim their body. Being around friends who are also affected by obesity can make it easier to open up to others and re-socialize. However, the centers take care not to completely cut off their residents from the outside world. Teenagers can return home on weekends and, when their health permits, take courses in nearby colleges and high schools. The young people live for several months – 6 or even 9 – in the center. But some establishments also offer shorter stays which only last during school holidays. In still other cases, adolescents are welcomed by the day.
Where can I find out more?
To find out the addresses of the centers, you can check with your doctor. You can also call your regional health insurance fund.
How to calculate the body mass index of my child.
