Helping Toddler to Gain Weight

Hi, S.. I agree with Meghan. My son is 18 months old and weighs 21 lbs - slightly above the 3rd percentile. And he is tall (75th) so he does look "skinny". But he is an active little boy - on and off are his two speeds just like Meghan's son. My pediatrian has said nothing about being underweight. And I even asked about his size! He is just so active that he churns and burns. Look at your son and his energy level. Is he active and energetic? Is he developing on a traditional scale? Large motor, fine motor, verbal, social, etc? If he is growing and learning and doing everything that little boys do then I would try not to worry about the weight. Give him plenty of healthy choices of foods to eat and he will eat what he needs to grow and thrive. Babies are amazingly healthy with food. They eat until they are full and not like us who eat b/c we are bored, you know! Just offer him lots of healthy snacks during the day to keep filling his tank. Pediasure is fine but they really should get their nutrition from solid foods if you can. If you are still concerned I may suggest seeing a different pediatrician.

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My first advise is to not worry about it too much. I have a 29month old that is only 23lbs and a specialist (endochronoligis--they specialize in growth issues) says that he's fine. It really is an issue of. Is he healthy, does he look abnormally small, is he tired all the time, ect. But, if he is an active, healthy little boy then chances are he is like my son. Two speeds on and off. He eats fine, but runs all the calories off. Personally I would listen to the ped., but acknowledge the fact that the doc isn't with him all day long and only sees him at check ups and sick visits. Teddy isn't even on the scale, but the specialist (that the ped. had us go to because he was concerned) said it was fine. It is normal for active toddlers to run off calories. Also, the speicalist said that it is better that he is thin then too big. That is much harder to grow out of. The specialist said that if it is still an issue when Teddy goes through puberty then we should check back, but not to worry. Another interesting thing is the scale that the endochronogist used at his office to show the growth percentile was slightly different then the peds. office. It said Teddy was in the 25th percentile even though he is so small. So, don't fret, don't try to feed him...He'll eat when he is hungry! If he's anything like my son he wants a 'nack' all the time. I usually give him gold fish or crackers sometimes a cookie (but those are only when I feel like baking and with a two year old and a five month old it isn't often! Anyway, now that I have compleatly rambled...I hope this encourages you. let me know how it goes. And, if you need to ask anymore questions about what the specialist said just let me know. Oh, yeah, pedisure is also a great "weight gainer"!

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Hi S.,
I am a mother to a 4 year old daughter who has been underweight since birth. She weighed 5 pounds and 14 ounces at birth and was 4 days passed my due date. Every time I take her to a DR for this or that they look at her weight and ask how premature she was...OK she was NOT premature. My husband is 5' 2" tall and 115 pounds soaking wet. Yes I am on the bigger side, but I am only 5'4" tall myself. I just took my daughter for a 6 month check-up two weeks ago and she has fianlly gained to the point she is just above the 50 percentile. She is 38 pounds and 39 inches at 4 years 8 months and 27 days old. her Pedi said I coudl breathe now even though he was the one who staye don me about her weight. My daughter has always ate healthy foods. I started her on veggies instead of fruits when we began eating baby foods and to theis day she still loves all fruits and veggies (Raw or Cooked). You are this child's mother....use your instinct like I did. I agree with the other responses that say it is in the DNA and quite frankly, I am glad my daughter took that part (weight) from her daddy's side of the family. She is active and I knwo she is healthy...so to me that is all that counts. Maybe check your family's weights if possible when they were born and got from there. I weighed 6 pounds 14 ounces at birth and my husband weighed 6 pounds and 2 ounces at birth...I kinda see a pattern here. Good look in whatever you decide, but children will eat when they are hungry and I wouldn't make them eat if they don't want to, because that could lead to over eating as they get older.

I am a 44 year old First Time Mother of a Very Active and Healthy 4 year old.

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I would try not to worry too much, although they use these percentiles they aren't perfect my niece has always been in the low percentiles she is now 6 and tall and skinny she is just very petite she eats a healthy balanced diet still drinks whole milk ect plus vitamins. There is nothing wrong with her she is just petite sometimes dr's can worry you to death when there is really no problem, if your son was a little too big they would be worring you the other way. I think you can best guage if your son is healthy or not is he active and not lethargic and sleepy all the time does he eat good foods for you? He may be smaller now but catch up at puberty or he may always just be smaller it's not a bad thing we are not all 50 % ers ya know?

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S., I would not worry. I have an 19 month old as well. She is very active and eats great. No junk food just good home cooked food. She is on the 1 percentile for weight. 43 percentile for height and 65 percentile for head circumfrence. My Peditrician says as long as she is eating good and has no complaints, not to worry. Some kids are small and have growth spurts later. Some are just small and petite. Also as long as he is hitting his milestones on time he is fine. I would not let our Peditrician concern you too much. Good luck and keep enjoying your toddler.

K.

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I agree - don't give unhealthy things just to help him put on weight. And, in my opinion, if he is meeting all his developmental milestones appropriately, then who's to say he needs to gain weight? I'm a little biased though - my 20 month old daughter is 22 lbs. But my dr. has never suggested she needs to gain more weight, because she is very healthy and is ahead of her age group in most developmental milestones.
Anyway, some healthy high fat foods are avacados, peanut butter, cheese, and whole milk yogurt. The avacado you can mash up and put on crackers or raw vegetables, or if he will eat it whole, then by all means feed him chunks of it :)
Hope this helps!

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I am not saying the doc is wrong... but, here is my personal experience (and my sisters too)
We both have had underweight children and completely average weight children (I might add we live in 2 different states and see completely different doctors).
The Drs said their weight was completely related to their DNA (aka how their relatives were as children)
My son was a decent eater (not great not bad, a little picky)but getting him to avg weight took him 12 years. My sisters boy still isnt in the avg percentile (he is 8), but he will catch up eventually. Dont worry too much as long as your child is eating and behaves like a healthy child. Averages are just that, some are bigger some are smaller and some are in the middle... we are not all made the same and that is OK!!

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