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Mum's heartache as she's forced to leave daughter screaming for food

A U.K. mum is forced to leave her seven-year-old daughter screaming for food because she suffers from rare condition which makes her feel hungry.

Tracy Fitzgerald, 36, forces herself to ignore Megan’s cries for food as a rare genetic condition, Prader-Willi Syndrome, leaves her constantly starving.

After being diagnosed with the condition at just five-weeks-old, Tracy started to notice how regularly her daughter would cry out for constant feeding as she grew up.

Tracy forces herself to ignore daughter Megan’s cries for food as a rare genetic condition, Prader-Willi Syndrome, leaves her constantly hungry. Photo: Caters
Tracy forces herself to ignore daughter Megan’s cries for food as a rare genetic condition, Prader-Willi Syndrome, leaves her constantly hungry. Photo: Caters

However, in order for her daughter to not become obese and suffer other health complications, Tracy has to ignore her daughters breakdowns when she begs for food and can’t even discuss food if she is around.

Tracy said: “When I tell her that she cannot have any more food she immediately starts to cry and scream, but I can’t give in and feed her.

“She’s got a set routine of when she can eat and, as a family, we all have to stick to that so she doesn’t even see anyone else eating food as it would trigger her.

“We hardly ever go out for food because she cannot cope with other people’s food being served if hers is not ready – it really upsets her.It is absolutely heartbreaking every time she has a breakdown and it’s not a mothers reaction to ignore her, but it has to be done.”

After giving birth to her daughter eight weeks early, the mother-of-two was told that there was something wrong with little Megan from the offset.

However, it wasn’t until five weeks later that the family were given the diagnosis that she suffered with a rare condition.

Tracy, a HR adviser, said: “We were told that she had a chromosome abnormality, but it wasn’t until a few weeks later that we were told it was Prader-Willi syndrome.

“Alongside the need to eat, the condition also means that Megan has learning difficulties, so all of her milestones were delayed. She was out of hospital by the time she was six-months-old, but it wasn’t until she was three-years-old that she could walk by herself.”

She continued: “And by the age of four-years-old Megan would eat at any given opportunity and would have up to six times the amount of other children – which is why I need to restrict what she eats.

“As she’s grown older she’s continued with her need to eat and will try and get her hands on any food she can find, but over the years we’ve found new ways to distract her.”

Tracy is now sharing her story to raise awareness to others of the reality of the rare condition and the effect it has had on their family. Photo: Caters
Tracy is now sharing her story to raise awareness to others of the reality of the rare condition and the effect it has had on their family. Photo: Caters

But despite her continued best attempts to keep her daughter’s mind off of food, Tracy explains that she may need to start putting locks on her cupboards to stop Megan from eating everything in sight.

She said: “Although I can distract her most of the time, I cannot be there every second of the day

“A few months ago Megan helped herself to a handful of her brothers birthday cake, which she had already had a small slither of just moments earlier, it had been left out of the way in the kitchen but obviously not far enough from her reach, she saw an opportunity and she took it.

“I didn’t want to put locks on our kitchen cupboard and fridge, but it’s looking more and more likely that I’m going to have to.

“She’s at the age now where she can find ways to get food herself, which means we have to have a regimented approach to food. No food is ever left on show for her to see, we have to completely avoid food at social events and we can’t even whisper anything about food as it will set her off.”

Raising awareness

Tracy is now sharing her story to raise awareness to others of the reality of the rare condition.

She said: “I had never heard of the condition until my daughter was diagnosed with it, so I want more people to learn about it. If Megan has one of her moments when we’re out in public, people can turn around and stare at us, and I look like a horrible mother – but people don’t understand.

“Luckily all of Megan’s friends and family are supportive and understanding, and make sure that they don’t have food out around her.

“But as a lot of people don’t understand the condition, they don’t know how to act around her and what simple things can set her off. I hope that by sharing Megan’s story, people will be able to understand the complexity of the condition.”

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