Elevhälsan has called us in about my child's weight — what now?

Elevhälsan calls about child's weight — what happens now?

Short answer

An appointment notice from Elevhälsan (the school health service) means that the school nurse has noticed a pattern in your child's BMI curve that should be followed up — not that the child is ill. The consultation is voluntary, focuses on family habits (not on the weight itself), and can lead either to follow-up visits with the nurse or a referral on to a vårdcentral (health centre) or BUMM (paediatric outpatient clinic).

Why you have been called in

Elevhälsan measures and weighs children at specified school grades (usually pre-school class, year 2, year 4, year 7/8, and year 1 of upper secondary school). When the BMI curve shows a pattern — either an upward break in the trend or a value above iso-BMI 25 — the school nurse is obliged to follow up. It is routine, not a personal criticism of the family.

It is also the school nurse who can detect early signs of childhood obesity before parents have noticed it themselves — because the child is weighed in a controlled setting and compared against previous measurements.

What the consultation is about

The school nurse's consultation is not an investigation. It is a short conversation (usually 30–45 minutes) where the focus is on:

How the child is doing at school — friends, energy levels, concentration.
The family's meal routine — breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks.
Sleep — when the child falls asleep and wakes up.
Physical activity and screen time.
Whether you as a family have concerns yourselves.

The nurse will not say "the child needs to lose weight", prescribe diets, or discuss calories. The modern approach within the school health service is never to focus the conversation with the child on weight — it is about health and habits.

What the school health service may and may not do

May: measure, weigh, hold consultations, offer advice, arrange follow-ups, make referrals.
May not: enforce measures, provide medical treatment, demand that you attend. Attendance is voluntary — but strongly recommended.

What happens after the consultation

Three possible pathways:

Follow-up with the nurse in 6 months. Most common for slightly deviating curves. The family works on habits independently in the meantime.
Referral to the vårdcentral. For an iso-BMI above 25 where the nurse wants a doctor to make an assessment.
Referral to BUMM. For an iso-BMI above 30 or suspected complications. You then proceed to a BUMM assessment.

How to talk to your child

This is often the most difficult part. Some key points:

Before the appointment: "The school nurse wants to talk to us about habits — sleep, food, exercise. You haven't done anything wrong."
Avoid: commenting on weight, the body, or that the child "needs" to lose weight. Research shows that weight-focused comments from parents increase the risk of eating disorders — without improving weight.
After the appointment: Focus on what the family will do together, not on what the child needs to do. ("We are all going to start having dinner earlier as a family.")

Would you like more concrete phrasing before and after the visit? Read our guide on how to talk to your child about health without focusing on weight.

When you should ask for more yourself

If the nurse suggests "let's review this in a year" but you see clear signs — snoring, joint pain, the child avoiding physical activity, or an iso-BMI above 30 — ask for a referral to the vårdcentral or directly to BUMM. You have the right to request this.

Sources

Socialstyrelsen (National Board of Health and Welfare) — Vägledning för elevhälsan (2016)
Rikshandboken i barnhälsovård — Ökande BMI, övervikt och obesitas
Nationellt vårdprogram för behandling av obesitas hos barn och ungdomar (2023)

Last updated: April 2026