Nikki Cary was fed up with diets, family doctors, and alternative medicine when she brought her 12-year-old son, Christian Cary, to the Medical Weight Loss of New York clinic in Manlius.

Nikki, a wife, mother of three and part-time substitute teacher, said she thought she had exhausted all possibilities in helping her then 203-pound son lose weight before stumbling upon the clinic.

“We were thrilled to find her,” Nikki said of Dr. Wendy Scinta, the founder and resident bariatric specialist of the weight-loss clinic. “We sort of came across her by accident,” Nikki said. “I was actually calling a hypnosis person to get information because I was trying to check out all of my avenues and they referred us to her.” Nikki said she began seeking for alternative ways to help her son lose weight after she realized his pediatrician did not share the same concern for his size as she did.

“I remember when Christian was 85 pounds. I was concerned and I wasn’t sure what we could do because he seemed much heavier,” Nikki said. “His friends were probably 60, 55 pounds at that time and (the family doctor) always said, ‘We’re going to try to maintain.’”

Despite the pediatrician’s analysis, Nikki said she knew something was wrong. Her two other children: Zachary, 10, and Grayson, 8, ate the same things as Christian and didn’t have a weight problem. Nikki said a sedentary lifestyle was also not to blame for Christian’s weight.

“He’s always been active,” Nikki said. “He’s always done spring and fall soccer, he’s tried bowling, he’s played softball, he’s doing karate now three times a week, and he’s had a personal trainer for the last year.” Nikki said a nutritionist recommended she take Christian to the Joslin Diabetes Center at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse.

Although Christian was not diabetic, Nikki said the nutritionist told her the Joslin Center might offer new insight into her son’s weight problem.

Nikki said no new information resulted from the one-time consultation at the Joslin Center. Nikki said she was already implementing all of the things the Joslin Center told her to have Christian do: eat more vegetables, drink lots of water and stay active.

Nikki said the Joslin Center told her they could not help Christian since he was not diabetic. That’s when she took him to the Riverview Wellness Center for Nutrition Response Testing.

“They push on parts of your body while you push against their hand,” Nikki said. “When they find a weak area it’s more difficult for you to push. They then put herbs on that part of your body and when they repeat the test you feel stronger.”

Nikki said once the tester determines which herbs and supplements you need, you are supposed to take them to help strengthen that weakened part of your body.

Nikki said Christian’s doctor disapproved of the supplements and herbs recommended by the Wellness Center’s Nutrition Response Test. Nikki said she heeded the pediatrician’s advice and did not give her son the herbs and supplements.

Nikki said she was desperate to find a solution to Christian’s unexplained weight gain that began sometime between the ages of 9 and 10.

Nikki found herself searching the Internet for information on alternative weight loss.

Nikki said that’s when she found a hypnotherapist who pointed her and Christian into the right direction. The hypnotist said patients must passionately want to lose weight for the therapy to work. Because of Christian’s young age, the hypnotist felt the therapy would not be effective and referred Nikki to Scinta and the weight-loss clinic.

Nikki said she was skeptical of the clinic because no doctors had been willing or able to help her son. After researching Scinta and her staff of nutritionists, counselors and nurses, Nikki decided to schedule an initial consultation.

Nikki said this office visit was different. Nikki said the doctor took Christian’s excessive weight and her pleas for her son’s health seriously.

Nikki’s maternal instincts were correct. Scinta and her team determined Christian had underlying medical conditions that were causing him to gain weight.

“We did all kinds of blood work and tests and he’s had all that done before but she did some tests we hadn’t had done,” Nikki said of Scinta. “She did some insulin tests and his insulin levels were off. Now he’s on a hyperglycemic medicine (Riomet) so his brain will get the message that he did just eat and should be full as opposed to before when he always thought he was hungry.”

Scinta also determined through blood testing that Christian was vitamin D deficient, which contributed to him feeling tired and less inclined to take part in physical activity.

Nikki now administers a daily dose of Riomet to Christian to help control his hyperglycemia and a vitamin D supplement to boost his energy.

Since meeting Scinta in mid-January, Christian has lost 11 pounds and is working to lose another 30 to 40. He and Nikki continue to visit the clinic every two or three weeks for updates on his height and weight, muscle mass-to-fat ratio, vitals and lipid levels.

Scinta said she feels bad that Nikki and Christian struggled to find the help they needed for so long. “They’re trying so hard to do things right from what they hear and they’re not getting the answers from the medical community that they know are out there,” Scinta said.

Scinta said part of that is from a lack of information in the medical community. “What happens is the physicians don’t have the answers yet or don’t know to direct patients to a specialist in obesity,” Scinta said. “They tend to direct them to endocrinologists, but if they’re not a type 1 diabetic, type 2 diabetic, or hypothyroid they’re not going to get put on anything.” Scinta said parents like Nikki don’t benefit from visits with nutritionists either, because they already know about dieting and exercise.

“They’re just sort of trapped,” Scinta said. “Nikki tried everything to help Christian lose weight and never really got to the heart of the problem, which in her son’s case is insulin resistance.” Scinta said Christian lost more than 5 pounds in the first two weeks of taking Riomet, which helps stabilize his insulin levels and tells his brain when he is full.

“Christian doesn’t need to make many changes in his life,” Scinta said. “He needs to be on a medicine to help control his hunger.”

Scinta said beyond any underlying medical conditions, maintaining a healthy weight for Christian or any child is simple.

“It really is a matter of just getting that child to eat some healthy protein, some fruits and some vegetables, and to stay away from the junk, and the starchy stuff that they’re drawn to,” Scinta said.

Nikki and Christian said they wish the weight loss was more progressive at this point in the process, but both are content with how far Christian has come.

Christian said he continues to be more confident the more weight he loses.

“I feel a lot different than when I started the program,” Christian said. “I’m starting to feel better about myself because notice I’m not wearing the jacket.”

Christian said he usually wears a jacket or sweater to cover his body, even when it’s warm to hide his weight. “I still wear it in school though,” Christian said.

Christian said he is grateful for his mother’s intervention in helping him get his weight under control. “It probably would have ruined my life,” Christian said. “If I got diabetes I probably would have to get that shot everyday and have to leave school. I just don’t want that to happen.”

Christian said he came close to becoming a diabetic when his blood sugar levels were too high, but they stabilized after reducing his overall food intake for about a month.

“My blood sugar levels are as normal as my sister’s now and she’s really thin and healthy,” Christian said.

Christian attributes his weight loss to his mother.

“I appreciate her more than anything,” he said.

Nikki has taken the love for her son and helping him one step further and is now trying to help other obese children.

“I’m sort of coming at it from all avenues,” Nikki said. “I’ve written a letter to Michelle Obama. I’ve e-mailed the school director of the food services program to ask them if they’re planning on participating in a national program called Healthy U.S. School Challenge, where schools commit to participating–it’s increasing the nutrition in the lunch, but also has a fitness component to it.”

Nikki also joined the YMCA’s Activate America committee to help with community assessments on how to better serve children’s fitness and nutritional needs.

As a teacher and a mother, Nikki hopes her efforts will help educate the public about childhood obesity and infuse a greater sense of passion toward this stigmatized segment of the population.

“One of the things I find is there’s a lot of presumptions about kids who are heavy; that they’re lazy, or that they’re not motivated,” Nikki said. “Another comment people say is, ‘Well, if people just eat less and exercise more.’ Well, obviously that makes sense but there’s more to it than that.”

“I would like to see society change their thoughts in what they say and how they treat children who are heavy,” Nikki said. “They need support, they need a hug, not criticism.”