Preparing for an appointment

Your child's family doctor or pediatrician will probably make the initial diagnosis of childhood obesity. If your child has complications from being obese, you might be referred to additional specialists to help manage these complications.

Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment.

What you can do

When you make the appointment, ask if there's anything your child needs to do in advance, such as fast before having certain tests and for how long. Make a list of:

• Your child's symptoms, if any, and when they began
• Key personal information, including a family medical history and history of obesity
• All medications, vitamins or other supplements your child takes, including doses
• What your child typically eats in a week, and how active he or she is
• Questions to ask your doctor

Bring a family member or friend along, if possible, to help you remember all the information you're given.

For childhood obesity, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:

• What other health problems is my child likely to develop?
• What are the treatment options?
• Are there medications that might help manage my child's weight and other health conditions?
• How long will treatment take?
• What can I do to help my child lose weight?
• Are there brochures or other printed material I can have? What websites do you recommend?

Don't hesitate to ask other questions.

What to expect from your doctor

Your child's doctor or other health care provider is likely to ask you a number of questions about your child's eating and activity, including:

• What does your child eat in a typical day?
• How much activity does your child get in a typical day?
• What factors do you believe affect your child's weight?
• What diets or treatments, if any, have you tried to help your child lose weight?
• Are you ready to make changes in your family's lifestyle to help your child lose weight?
• What might prevent your child from losing weight?
• How often does the family eat together? Does the child help prepare the food?
• Does your child, or family, eat while watching TV, texting or using a computer?

What you can do in the meantime

If you have days or weeks before your child's scheduled appointment, keep a record of what your child eats and how active he or she is.