Slow weight gainer
Moms View Message Board: Parenting Discussion: Archive July-December 2003:
Slow weight gainer
I was just wondering if any other parent has had a situation like this and what did they do?
My ds18months is gaining weights slowly. Hes at almost 19lbs and the doc is giving me a lot of crap about it. He wants to give him testing thinking its something to do with not being able to digest "wheat" I tried to explain to him every child in my family is the same way. I married a skinny man too and we are not skinny by choice we just are that way. No matter what we eat or anything.
The doc wants us to see 2 other types of docs. A nutritioness(sp?) who we have to go see once a week and its going to cost $25 a week for who knows how long. Hes a picky eater and I know they are going to say make him eat this and that.
I read an old post about the 20month old picky eater. He is exactly like most kids wont eat or will eat only one thing ALL day.
The other doc is a gastro(something). I truely cant afford to keep seeing docs since I know longer work only my dh does. Another thing is my son is in the 95% in his hieght. So you would htink the height makes up for the weight, but the docs says NO!
Another thing is last time I went in for a weight check we had to see a different doc..she said he was fine. Why do docs say different things? Should I go to a totally diferrent place rather within the same office? If my son keeps getting blood test he wont have any left. Any suggestions?TIA
I think I would go just to have any gastro problems ruled out. The wheat problem that the doctor is concerned about is actually an allergy to gluten which is in wheat. This can lead to celiac disease which does need to be treated. (I have a friend with this.) I doubt your ped. is having your son tested and sending him to other doctors just for kicks and I would probably follow up on it...at least to rule anything out, and then you can get your doctor to accept your son just gains weight slowly if indeed nothing else is going on.
As far as the height/weight connection....that's probably why your doctor is concerned. The taller a child is, the more he is expected to weight. Height doesn't *make up* for weight, but requires additional weight. I just checked a growth chart and it appears that your son is way below the lowest percentile weight for his age, so I would definitely do some additional investigating before I passed it off as normal toddler pickiness.
Hope you get good news!! Keep us posted!
My girlfriends daughter was classified as failure to thrive.
Is that the diagnosis?
The doctor told her to give the child ice cream every single day. The child needed the concentrated calories.
Else the child would eat 5 noodles for dinner - 4 french fries for lunch and 1 bite of cheerios for breakfast every day.
Failure to thrive can be serious.
Thanks. He is already on pediasure for the xtra calories, plus I just got a high calorie drink recipes that would be good for him.
I'll keep these things in mind when we see the doc tomorrow and ask another hundred questions. Hopefully its nothing serious and his hyperness is just the answer that he just needs more calories.
Never heard of failure to thrive. DS eats a lot more than that, keep ya posted.
Yes Feona is is called failure to thrive. And children can die from it at the least become seriously ill. Basically their body keeps growing with out proper nutrition and the body starts taking away muscle to get the nutrients it needs in severe cases it effects the heart and the child passes away. Which is what happens to children in underdeveloped countries (Africa, Ethiopia etc.) The kids with the descended bellies and frail bodies. It can also cause developmental delay. Meaning the child might become mentally slow from improper nutrition.
Ivy, I think that if you are dead set against seeing the other DR's suggested by your sons Ped. You should at least look into a second opinion of another Ped. My oldest DD had issues with weight as a toddler also. I am with you that some people are just thin, she eats like a horse but you can't tell to look at her. But your DS seems a bit severe and my main concern would be the long term effects if there is an underlying issue, know what I mean. It is better to rule everything out and then decide where to go from there. If he is "hyper" then you might want to increase his caloric intake and possible give him more snacks through out the day because he might very well be burning it off quicker than he is storing it. Might want to see if that would be an option with the Ped. The Insure is a very good idea. We had a few under weight babies when I worked at a Peds office and that was one of the first things he would suggest.
By the way you have got yourself a nice looking family there. DS is quiet a good looking little man.
My daughter was 16 lbs at a year, and stayed that weight for months. She was cruising by 6 months, and never stayed still. She's 8 now, and although she's not hyper, she's still active.
She doesn't eat a lot, but eats healthy foods. She drank ensure for quite some time. Now I'll make her protein shakes, to make sure she's getting enough in her tummy. She'll be 9 in March, she weighs maybe 60 lbs, and she's about 4'9". She needs size 12 for length, but could still fit into a size 3 for the size of her waist. As long as she's healthy, I'm happy.
I would question your doctor, and mention that doc # 2 wasn't at all concerned. Does he show signs of tummy pain or bowel problems that might indicate an intolerance to wheat?? Just wondering why the doc jumped to that conclusion.
How old is your little sis? They look about the same size. In the pic of your family, he sure doesn't look like a sickly little guy to me.
In my experience with 6 kids, some docs are alarmists, and some don't look for probs where there aren't any real signs. Keep asking those questions.
Actually hyper can be caused by a food allergy.
Many people are allergic to wheat.. and other things...too..
Failure to thrive happens in this country too. I met a child who had failure to thrive for three years. He was over three and a half and looked about 18 months - 2 years old.
My friends child was under the growth curve. Meaning her height and weight were under the chart. She was under the 0 percentage. I don't know how to describe it...
Is your child SLOW to gain, but still gaining?
My daughter was born at 5lb 7oz full term. She was off the chart she was so small, and still in the 10%tile. She is 5 1/2 yrs now and still well below others her age and smaller than pretty much all her classmates and friends--way smaller. She is now 34 lbs.
Because she continues to gain, even though at a slow rate, my drs office have never suggested a problem. They even mentioned to me while she was an infant, that her tinyness would typically be cause for alert, however, because she showed a steady increase they just figured she was a small child. Her daddy is small and I was small most my life.
I would take that information and make your best sound decission. You are your child's mother. Is there steady growth? No drops in weight? Is your child developing well in other areas?
Each child is different. You can always get a second oppion from other drs. What about the feel for your own drs office? Our dr office is very cautious, but not quick to jump to conclusions. How would you rate your dr office? Drs newer to their practice are much more likely to make quicker conclusions...just to be on the safe side.
So, it is possible to have a low weight child with no problems. I do. And she is developing just fine!
Thanks everyone for your comments/suggestions. My son has never dropped in weight. Every child in our family has gone through this except my baby sister. My mother remarried..my lil sis is on the 95% in weight.
Its not like he doesnt eat, cause he does. I was 90lbs all my life until I got prego, now I'm about 105.
Usually the doc said with his low weight he could have other problem developing, but there hasnt been any, as far as walking, talking etc. Bowels are normal since they tested that. We go in for another blood test this morning. I'll give you guys an update. Thanks for giving me good info at this time where I'm so frustrated, scared...etc...
As far as the doctors office, my mother uses the first doctor I had used, but the 2nd we just got stuck with cause she was sick on that day. After today we are just seeking another doc. opinion if he decides to get more testing done.
Hope you get some answers today at the doctor 
I agree with Pams post. I'm sure the testing is being requested for a reason. Even if it is to rule out some of the things in question.
Our family doctor is wonderful. Even if there is a hint of *anything* that isn't quite right, he likes to test and double check and follow up, just to be on the safe side. I love that about him. He genuinely cares about my kids and their good health. He wants to make sure that everything is just right. Unfortunately, he is moving to a different county this coming spring, and we will be in search of another doctor.
I hope you can find a doctor that you really like. (and I hope we find one too! LOL) That is the most important thing. If you are comfortable in knowing that the doctor has the best interest of your child in mind, then you will know that what he is requesting of you is legitimate and important. It is so hard to find a really great doctor.
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