Does Anyone Know of Foods/supplements to Help GAIN Weight and Height?

I have a son that also needed to gain weight. I was told, by a public health nurse, to give him Carnation Instaint Breakfast with his milk. This provided him with extra calories in his whole milk and also extra vitamins. We called it his milkshake before bedtime. He loved it and it did help.
E.

S.
I think we ALL know what it's like to have picky eaters! It can be so frustrating! I just wanted to tell you about these protein shakes that I use--I also give to my kiddos from time to time. I know you have to be careful with protien shakes as they can be hard on the liver sometimes--but this company I trust completely. Everything they make is botanically based without fragrance, dyes etc. Their protein comes from yellow peas because it is the easiest to digest and least allergenic source they could find. And it tastes great! There are 3 flavors but chocolate and vanilla are my favs. I make smoothies out of them, with chocolate I add a T. peanut butter (more protein!) and milk with ice and it tastes great-like a chocolate milkshake! With vanilla I add frozen fruit, OJ and ice and they are both yummers. Would be a great tasty way to get him extra protein. By the way--the company is Arbonne and you can get this stuff online--but it's one of those things that you have to have someone sign you up (like a sam's club membership) So if you need help you can call or e-mail me--or even if you just want more info about it. It's definitely reasonable! ###-###-#### or ____@____.com Luck!

I have recently started myself and my children on a nutritional supplement. I have been very impressed with it. A lot of people have seen amazing results with it. It is called Reliv and was formulated by the same Dr. who helped to formulate enfamil. If you would like to have more information you can contact me. ____@____.com

Hi S.
I just recently did some research on this because a neighbor of mine has a son in Middle School who struggles with the same thing. As a Reliv Distributor I know that Reliv offers complete patented nutrition but wanted to see if anyone had these specific results. I was able to connect with a few people that did.
If your son's body is off balance in anyway, Reliv gives the body the best nutrition to heal itself. Our bodies are little miracles and when given the correct fuel...it is amazing what it can do :)
I also believe that each individual is unique but as a Mom, we want our children to be, at minimum, average amoungst their peers. Hard to see them get hurt. I wish you the best and hope you find the answers you are looking for.
God Bless
L.

Sorry for what your son/you are going through. Kids can be so mean!! I was a public school teacher for 10 years and it is just amazing what they will find to terrorize kids with. Anyway, when you mentioned that your son was maybe a little low on protein it immediately made me think of the protein shakes my family takes. Each serving has 18 grams of protein in them.

Ironically they are in our (Arbonne's) weight loss line, but can absolutely be used as a supplement for people who need more protein. My kids (10, 8, 4,&2) love them. Let me know (____@____.com) if you are interested and I can get you information on how to order, etc.

Avocados are high in good fats and are a veggie (maybe a fruit). Tofu is high in protein and can be mixed into anything (like dropped into a blender with fruits for a shake. These are things I am diong with my own kids (who also fall on the low scale of the growth charts because they are like me.)

Best of luck!

I have a very similar problem although my son is younger and we had to make changes because of his food intolerances. I questioned an inability to absorb nutrients? I started adding Arbonne Chocolate or Vanilla protein which is a pea protein (vegan certified)to his milk or make him blended shakes with fruit so he gets another and very healthy source of protein. Plus it has all the vitamins/minerals added. It is marketed as weight loss for adults but with 18 grams of protein/serving, it worked great for him! He started bulking up with more noticeable muscle and looked so much healthier. Both grandmas noticed a difference. I feel better that I am teaching him healthy eating habits and giving him balanced nutrition. I am an Arbonne Consultant because of the great health results that we have gotten in our family but this is what worked best for him and thought I should share! PS you can email at ____@____.com if you'd like further info about Arbonne's nutritional supplements. GOOD LUCK!!!!

Your son sounds exactly like my first grader. He was 9.9lbs at birth and now weighs 42 lbs. The drs tell us the same thing...late bloomer yada yada. I like to give him those Nutripals bars for snack. The comapny NOW nutritionals makes a lot of weight gainer shakes that are made with Whey protien which is really easy for the body to digest. I figure he will grow eventually but if not I just try to make sure he is comfortable with himself no matter how big or small he is. That way no one is really stressing his size or making a big deal out of it.
Hope this helps.

Add peanut butter to the celery, cheese to the vegetables ranch, use butter also. Pediasure is a great supplement that is used widely. I know some supplements can be mixed in food and drinks also.

Dear S.,

Let me tell you. I have a son that was born weighing 6lbs 8 oz. He is now 3, will be 4 in May and all the doctors besides my family doctor gave me a hard time about his growth. My son was born with a birth defect, that affected his breathing. Nothing that I have never handled before. He is my 3 of 4, number 5 is on the way and out of 4 only 1 was born with out this defect. So I have seen all kinds of doctors since his birth. They labled him a failure to trive baby too. I was not worried about his growth. He did drop on his growth chart the first two years. We were told everything people are telling you. Add this to that, add oil to baby food, butter to everything. Anything that would add calories. That is a bad example to show a child. That is not proper eating habits and may bite you in the end. I even had a doctor recomend a fast food diet to get him to gain weight. I had a specialist, gastrologist, (sorry if missed spelled) keep trying to run test after test on my 2yr old. They tested for food allergies, (he has a slight allergie to milk, wheat and egg whites) Nothing that effects in any way, he eats all of that. He had two upper GI's done, more blood work that it was to the point that he was afraid of doctors. He had scopes, x rays done. They didn't want to stop.. I finaly said enough, when he wanted to get a small sample of his small intestine to look a the celia. They thought that he had celiac diesase. I said no. My son is little, I was a child. I was born at 4lbs, 12 oz and was only 14 inches long amd I was a full term baby. I was picked on as a kid and that will never stop. I was happy with my child's growth because he was hitting his milestones, he had fat deposits in the right spots, and he eats. Your child will grow at his own pace and nothing you can do to make it what you want. He was made that way. Be glad that he is healthy. Try to get him to eat all the food groups, but if he doesn't, he can still get what he needs from fruits and veggies. Use vitamins to make sure and let him be him.

Have you ever heard of Juice Plus? I have heard that it does help with weight gain and helps your body absorb all the nutrients you take in. I think you have to buy it through a dealer but I'm sure there is someone in your area. My son takes it and I'm convinced it has helped his growth. There is a lady in my area who sells it if you are interested.
It sounds like your son eats like a dream! Does he give lessons??? My son could use some:)
Seriously, I hope you find what works for you! Have a great day!

you should love your child and teach him to love himself instead of focusing on his weight and height, those are things make a kid wonderful. As your doctor says kids grow at different stages. Also you were they same way, a lot of times kids are like their parents!!!! Listen to your doctor, love your kid for who he is, focus on all the positives a healthy 6 yro gives you.

My almost 3 yr old is under the 5th percentile, she is failure to thrive. We use heavy whipping cream, you can mix it in mashed potatoes, mac n cheese, oatmeal and other things like that. Pediasure offers a lot of added calories and is healthy. He can drink whole milk, if appropriate for your family. You can also shop for high calorie foods.

Is your son on inhaled steriods for asthma? Any other daily meds such as Nasonex nasal spray? After studying my son's growth charts. I realized that he would fall off the grow charts while on inhaled steriods but would have a growth spurt when taken off of them. Two of my sons used steriods as babies. . .both are short (one is a twin and the difference is very noticeable). I can look at their baby growth charts and their decline in growth correlates with starting steriods. My nephew was on inhaled steriods . . . same story.

Can I ask what your sons height and weight are?My son is 10 in the 4th grade and weighs 60 lbs and is short-not sure right off hand what his height is.He gets teased a lot too.He has good friends tho that are big boys.His best friend is his age almost 5 feet and 150 lbs.LOL.No way is someone gonna taunt my son with his best friend around!My son is very active in wrestling.This is his 6th year in the program and is very good at it.That has worked to his advantage.Wrestlers tend to be smaller and he is respected because he's the sh**!It also gives him the self confidence he needs.I make sure my son has milk with every meal.(vitamin D has a high fat content)Lots of veggies and red meat.Also make sure he gets a multi vitamin everyday.As long as he is eating a healthy meal 3-4 times a day I believe you can relax.

Hi S.,

Even tho you want him to gain weight, I would not encourage the sweet things. Sugar lowers the body's immunity besides causing other problems down the road.

Here is one option to help him get more protein - link below.
http://www.shaklee.net/helpfromlinda/product/MealShakes

I'm also sending you a link on children's nutrition. You can go to http://www.goodhealtheveryday.com on the left side is a link for children's nutrition.

Hope that helps.
L. L

My son is almost 2 and he has Cystic Fibrosis so weight is a big issue for him. His pulmonologist put him on a weight gain supplement called Scandishake. It comes in three different flavors: chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. We mix it with 8 oz of whole milk and it is like 600 calories a shake. For more info email me at ____@____.com

I had a friend in high school, he was very short and extremely thin. Once he got out of high school he decided to join the marines. While he was in for 2 years he met some other guys who were really into body building and learned all about the different suppliments and protien shakes. When he came home only a year later on leave. I honestly didn't recognize him at all. He was huge, ripped with muscles and looked taller because of his mass. I really would not have thought this possible. My ex husband also went from a lean build to a body builders type of body by using these shakes and suppliments. I would not recommend having a child so young go on these things, as i think that would just add to growth probelms later. Some kids are late bloomers as your doctor mentioned. My 6 year old is also the smallest in his class. He has a problem thinking that he is always going to be short and constantly compares himself to his 5 year old brother. His younger brother is going to be taller that him no doubt about it. His legs and arms are longer already. I think that it is great that my son has a great personality and I have no worries that he won't get threw school and life just fine. I think it is wonderful that your son eats so healthily please don't try to get him to add unhealthy routines to his diet that so many of us can't stay away from. It is good to get more protien into his diet protien and calcuim are a very important part of growing up. I know its hard to see your child go threw something that was so hard on you all I can say is that if you don't seem to make it a problem he will get over his insecurity of being smaller and make the best of it. Being that he is a healthy eater you know that part of motherhood is accomplished already. Being short and slim is a less teaser than being short and fat. He may grow up and in high school take a huge leap in height, this happens a lot. Once he gets to high school if you still feel that his weight is a problem then I would start looking into suppliments and protein shakes and a good work out. Good luck.

I have a similar situation with my 4yr old. He was an average sized baby but has been hovering around the 5th percentile for as long as I can remember. He seems smaller than the other 4 year olds in his pre-school. We've actually taken him to a feeding specialist due to him not gaining weight and not wanting to eat much. They suggested giving him whole milk, cutting juice down to 1 6oz serving per day and supplementing meals with peanut butter. He has gained a pound and 1/2 since we started. One of the most helpful things they had us do was a 3-day food diary. It was really helpful to see in writing the pattern of when he ate the most etc. They also thought we could get a little tougher at meal times - requiring him to at least try new foods etc. He doesn't like meat or sauce on anything but LOVES all fruit and veggies. And he has also turned down dessert so using that as a reward doesn't work!

I don't think there is anything we can do to avoid kids getting teased but I always let my kids know (they are both tiny) that people come in all shapes, sizes & colors and that they are awesome just the way they are! Skinny pride :)

Your pediatrician said your son was basically healthy and a late bloomer? Well than how grateful you could be for having a healthy son who makes great choices in nourishing his body! So what if he's a little lean and small? Maybe those are YOUR personal body image issues for you to deal with. Wouldn't it be most loving to stop projecting your insecurities by loving him unconditionally and trust that if he feels good about himself on the inside, he will be just fine?

S.,

Let him be who he is and be proud of that. Don't let your past get in the way of his future. He is only 6 years old. He isn't even going to hit a growth spurt until he is in adolescence. It would be better to teach him self-esteem issues and satisfaction with who he is.

If it bothers you, don't let him see that. He is going to think you are disappointed in him. Praise him and nurture him in the things he is good at. I had a friend in high school who was shorter than everyone else. He was wiry and ended up on the basketball team. Despite his height, he could out run and outscore any of the other bigger kids.

Be happy with your lovely son :)

L. :)

S.,
I don't know what you know about supplements, but they are all very different. You need to be very careful about what you chose. Always ask to see their CLINICAL STUDIES done on THEIR COMPLETED products. Few companies have them, and those that do often are not complete or are done on just a few people. Be careful!
My cousin is a pediatric physician, she uses Shaklee products because of all the research Shaklee has. Recently, Berkley School of Health did a long term study on people who had been using different supplements for 20 years or more. In their research they found the people who had used these Shaklee products were healthier than the other supplement users. The study is published in a peer reviewed online journal..click here:http://www.nutritionj.com/content/6/1/30/abstract.
SO, I started using Shaklee too. I have a web site you can look at. www.shaklee.net/banwart
THey have several different drink mixes you can add to your day that are healthy and Delicious! They also have snack bars that are really tasty.
Check out these links and see if they interest you:
http://www.shaklee.net/banwart/product/MealBar
http://www.shaklee.net/banwart/product/CinchBars
http://www.shaklee.net/banwart/prodNutSports
http://www.shaklee.net/banwart/product/Protein2
Hope this is helpful. YOu can reply to me through the web site if you wish
B.

I'd check w/ your child's doctor 1st. To make sure your child doesn't have something going on w/ their system. Because after my son got the flu. The doctor had me put him on Pediasure. Because he couldn't keep his weight on. So he said put him on Pediasure. My son had to be on Pediasure for 6 yrs. Anyhow, I would try Pediasure. There's several flavors avail. It's expensive. But worth the $$. Hope this helps.

my oldest son was the smallest in his class and his little sister out weighed him from the time she was a year old. He went through teasing in school also and he hated it, but instead of trying to make him change from good eating habits to bad ones just to make him bigger, I enrolled him in Karate and wrestling. They are one on one sports where being small doesn't matter. He loved them both and it helped with his self-esteem and once that went up the teasing went down. He has good eating habits and when he is older he will appricate how he can eat anything and not gain weight much more. My son is now 26 years old and they call him Slim at work. He is popular with his peers and I haven't heard anyone say anything negitive about him. Always work with the positive and it will turn out ok. As far as your being teased when you were young, you need to let go of it. I too was very thin and teased, but my last name was Middleton and I was teased more about being the "middle of a ton" then my actual weight. Teach him that what people say to him doesn't make it true and if they talk like that to him, their opinions don't matter anyway. He has to like himself for who he is, not what others want him to be.

I have just begun working for a Dairy Cooperative in sales. In the few months I have worked here I have heard great stories from bodybuilding, nutritionists, and even a cancer survivor of the benefits of whey protein concentrate.

Basically when a cheese maker makes cheese, the milky by- product is poured off the cheese and dried (to summarize very briefly). The product that is left is whey. If you further process it you can dry it into an 80% concentrated protein. This product is used in infant formulas, geriatric nutrition, medicines, and a ton of body builidng shakes, powders, and mixes for people who want to build their bodies. You can find it in nutrition stores and probably even coops or sports stores. It is natural, and according to my boss it ails just about everything.

I have no idea if WPC80 (Whey Protein Concentrate 80%) would work for you, but it certainly won't hurt. It looks a bit like powdered infant formula, but if you put it into smoothies or yogurt I guess you don't even notice it...It might be worth a try to check into it.

Hi S.,
I am a 42 yr old SAHM with a son age 9 and a baby girl who's 16 months. My son is on the upper end of the charts, but my daughter, though 7lbs 4oz at birth, is always below 5% on the charts. She is just like your son, she doesn't eat much meat, tends to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables and doesn't have a sweet tooth. She's tiny! Her doctor says that a childs size during adolecence, isn't necessarily a tell tale for what they'll be like as adults, it just may be true. My husband was 5"6 and skinny when he graduated High School. Not long after he grew to 5"10 and became husky and muscular.

Anyhow, I just make sure she eats lots of protein and calcium and hope for the best. As a girl, I think its cute but I know it can be tougher on a boy. Especially as they get older. Below are some protien rich foods for kids:

Milk
Soy Milk
Eggs
Cheese
Yogurt
Peanut Butter
Lean Meats, Fish, and Poultry
Beans, Tofu, Lentils, and other Legumes
Grains, including bread and pasta
Nuts and Seeds

My daughter likes Soy Milk, Cheese, Yogurt, Beans and Pasta so I focus on those....

Our oldest, who will be 34 in July had the same problem. Dad is 5'4" and I am 5', so height wasn't going to come easlily here. When he was a freshman in high school, he may have weighed 90 lbs. if that; and I don't think he was 5 foot then. He is now 5' 7" and weighs arounc 150 lbs. When he turned 16 and got his drivers license, he looked 10; good thing we knew the police force in town. We had problems when he went into the 6th grade, which was in Jr. High at the time, but it wasn't because of being picked on.
You need to build their self esteem and explain to them that this is what makes them the person they are.
Don't push extra food on him, that is not going to help. That might lead into something else that you wouldn't want to deal with. Just let him grow naturally. Don't make his size a bad thing. Why do you think we have the problems with eating disorders?
I was small in school also, never had a problem with it though, it was never stressed that I was small. I weighed 100 lbs. until after the 3rd baby and then it was downhill all the way. I tried to put weight on, but it never helped. I went to a health club, had donuts, malts and all that good stuff and never gained a pound. Now I want to lose weight and can't.
We have a grandson who is 5 and he weighs 40 lbs and is just a tiny little guy. He is a normal well adjusted little boy and is doing well.
Please don't worry about your son, things will happen when it is supposed to.

Your son sounds like a normal and very healthy little boy. Be grateful that he likes to eat such healthy foods. What a blessing! If your dr isn't concerned then I don't think I would be concerned. My husband was always very small. We used to joke about how he needed a dollar a day growing up, but once he got to college and even after his metabolism slowed and he finally gained weight and even grew another inch or two. My mother in law says boys grow in their own time. Try not to be too concerned in front of him or he will pick up on your insecurities. It happened to me with my daughter over another issue and it is not what you want!

Hi S. N,
I am a 4'9" 50 year old sahm who had short grandmothers. I was never even on the chart. I always felt just fine about my height, it might be easier for girls. My mom was concerned at one time too, but the doctor said it was genetic, I've always been fine with my height. IMO the best thing you can do is come to terms with your own height and give him coping tools. Protein sounds like a good idea. My son was always in the 25th percentile but his dad his a later grower. He was in the 25th percentile in height and 50th for weight and was 4'9" as age 12. The joke was after he was 12 he could get taller than me. He grew 4 inches that year. He will be 14 this May and I will not be surprised if he's 5'4". His dad grew 2 1/2 after age 18 and wasn't done until he was after 20 years old. So, be a champion for short people and keep up the protien, he will grow when he is ready. As long as he's happy and engaged with others he's doing well.
Peace and Blessings,
S.
http://www.YesToSuccess.net/S.
helping families with health and wealth for over 11 years
PS: It would have been okay with me if my son was always short but it is easier(not better or worse) having some height.

If he is happy and healthy.....don't worry! He is perfect the way he is! We all are different in different ways and we all need to embrace that and as parents our job is to ensure our children are confident in their bodies.....What our children look like is just a part of who they are! He eats fruits and vegetables...WOW that's fantastic, don't try to change it! If your pediatrician says that he is healthy and he is happy, heal from your past and embrace your child! He sounds like he is fine! Good luck!

I'm glad to know I'm not alone in this. My son is almost 3 years old and he isn't even on the charts for weight anymore. When he was 1 1/2 his pediatrician ran a bunch of tests all of which showed nothing was wrong. I breastfed him for 2 years and he ate normal. He still isn't a big eater but he does eat. From the time he was a year old the Dr. had him drink chocolate milk instead of whole milk to get the calories. That didn't help either. Just before my son turned 2 his ped. sent him to a ped. GI Dr. For a 5 minute appt. and $564.00 later my son is still small. He will be 3 in May and is about 36" and 25 lbs. He still wears 18-24 month clothes. I decided he was going to be small for now. I am not doing anymore specialists or any special diets. I'd rather he be a little on the small side and not be overweight. My 13 year old was also like this til he was 6 years. Now he is 5'5 and 160lbs. I would not be too worried that he is small due to health reasons. If your son is as active as my son is, my son will always be small. My son never stops going unless he is sleeping. Good luck.

Hi S.-
My name is B. Jarmoluk- I'm a 47yo mom of twin girls- med. professional and wellness coach.
Yes- I do know of a way. I work with Herbalife international and we have an entire line of kid products. We help people gain weight- by using nutrition!
I'm heading out of town for a couple weeks but will be on email. ____@____.com
My website if you want to check it out is http://www.mydietshop.org
Our products are doctor recommended. We have heart healthy proteins in our kid shakes- I even use the choc. to make hot chocolate. My girls are picky eaters too- one like your son- but both are over the 100th %ile in height- not weight- 75-80% there and have only been to a doctor once for illness.
Check it out and email with your number. I can send out some samples and info- or meet with you if you're near.
Have a blessed day,
B. J