In 2019, the American Academy of Pediatrics released a statement to support the use of bariatric surgery in cases of severe obesity in adolescents. Despite this statement of support, there is still some hesitancy to refer adolescents for bariatric surgery. In 2014, our family made the decision that bariatric surgery was right for me. I was 16 at the time, it was the summer before my junior year of high school. Our decision, as a family, to choose bariatric surgery as the treatment for my obesity, was never taken lightly. This perspective shares our experiences, as a parent and a patient, with childhood obesity and the circumstances that led us to choose bariatric surgery. We hope sharing our story will result in initiating the dialogue between providers and families of children with obesity to ensure children and adolescents receive adequate empathetic care.
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