My son is 24 months old and only weighs 20 pounds. He has had blood work done and they have checked for celiacs but it came back negative. He eats well sometimes and other times it seems like he wont eat at all. He has an appointment for an endoscopy on the 24th so they can check out his digestive system. Has anyone else had this problem in the past or is having it now? Just looking for some support or advice from anyone who has been there. Thank you!
He has always been small but at since he turned 1 he hasn't gained much. He hasn't really had any tummy issues but his pediatrician is concerned, because his weight is not on the charts. Im not sure if she tested him for diabetes but I will ask.
I do think these tests are very invasive and I have gone back and forth on weather to have them done or not, but his Ped and his gastroenterologist keep saying he will start to have problems with his development if he doesn't gain weight, I just don't know what to believe or who to trust,
We did end up having the endoscopy done, my husband and I decided it was best to rule out any infections and other things. The procedure went well , my little one woke up and was hungry right away so we took him to get pancakes :) The doctor didn't find anything but he did take biopsies and blood work so we should hear back about those next week sometime. I will keep you updated, thank you for all your responses, you were a great help!
My 8yr son is the same way, he is almost 9 and weighs 53lbs. The one thing that we do is give him the Carnation Instant Breakfast atleast 4 times a day. The CIB has not helped him gain any weight but atleast we know he is getting the the stuff he needs. Good luck.
Could it be that we're just used to fat kids now adays??? Seriously, my child is lanky as well and I am glad she isn't fat from eating junk food like so many kids you see today. I don't want to just say, "Don't worry" bc if your doctor is feeling the need to do all these invasive tests, perhaps there is something going on but frankly, you kid sounds just like mine! At nearly 3 she finally has reached 30lb--seemed like she was never going to make that hurdle--and she is tall for her age! Your child sounds like they eat normally for a kid their age, too. I'm surprised all those tests are even being done. I assume there must be more to the story. I really think we pay way too much attention to these charts someone has come up with for how much our kids should weigh, etc. Everyone is different. Think back, were you a very skinny kid? I was a bean pole and now my daughter is, too. I wouldn't worry too much. The tests will probably come back saying, "Normal kid!"
Does the doctor think there is a problem?
I had two girls who were only 22 and 25 pounds at three. My husband's grandmothers are both under 5 feet. So when the doctor told me to feed the oldest chocolate milkshakes for dinner, I said no she'll be fine. She's 15 and, 5"3" and 116 pounds, perfect.
THe other is 12, 5"4" and just 100 pounds wet.
If your son is doing well and eating and not showing any signs of malnurishment I think he will be fine. He's just little.
Two of my three girls were exactly the same way! We finally starting giving them Carnation Instant Breakfast, and they started putting the weight on. We also used Pedisure, and it worked good, but it was more expensive. This also gave them nutrients when they did not eat so well:-)
My girlfriends son was always so small he didn't even register on the charts. His twin brother was always exceptionally tall and registered at around 90th + percentile. He seemed VERY healthy just small, around 15 the docs decided he was lacking in testosterone and gave him hormones. Needless to say he caught up with his brother. As far as his development, he was always a straight A student, great socially and just small. Now he is his brother's size, 90th+ percentile, and straight A student in college. I would listen to your doc but certainly use your mother's instinct as well.
Good luck!
Would your doctor be willing to try reflux medicine? Our son started growing when he started that. He's still not big, but he's gone from being below the 2nd percentile to being at the 19th percentile. Yay!!! Took 3 years, but we'll take it. I'd try that before tests. The tests are invasive. Our son was a silent refluxer -- in otherwords, he had no signs like spitting up, etc. Tests has since shown he is a serious refluxer! Serious enough that had he not suddenly started growing this last year, he would have had surgery last Fall.
Check out the "Great Taste, No Pain" diet, too. My son and daughter who both have reflux eat like champs on this diet. The food is delicious, fresh, and healthy for everyone. It has made a big difference for both of my kids. My daughter no longer takes medicine, and my son's stomach doesn't hurt all the time any more. It also has helped my husband and especially my stomach. I never went to the doctor to get medicine because I didn't want the side effects, but I no longer has any problems. GL!
At this age kids need the proper nutrients and fat for proper brain development. This is what your doctors are concerened about, and not so much about his actual body weight. So if he's not gaining weight (and 20 lbs at 2 years IS thin), there's the possibility that his brain is also not gaining weight and is not developing properly. Does this make sense? This is critical! I have an underweight little guy myself and we went through all the bloodwork, urine testing, etc. At age 18 months they found nothing. He is 20 months and we continue to spike his food with high fat, and thankfully he has made some progress. Your doctor sounds like she has your child's best interest in mind.
what's wrong w/ 20 lbs? When my youngest turned 2 he only weighed 22 lbs he was always small. My family is tall and thin and I wouldn't expect my kids to be any different. One thing I will ask is has he been tested for diabetes? Kids with diabetes don't gain weight and often labeled failure to thrive before its found out that they are diabetic.
Has your son recently stopped gaining weight or has he always been slow to gain weight? Does he have stomach issues? Is that the reasoning for all the tests? I think it would be a little more helpful if you provided a little more detail.
I hope all of your son's tests come back fine.
edited: If my child was not showing any signs of being sick and was developing fine reaching milestones on time I would not allow for any invasive tests! And I would be consulting a new ped.
I agree with the poster below about there being some really large kids out there who skew the weight charts, but 20 lbs at 2 years is pretty small. I assume he's drinking whole milk...and he should have no more than about 20-24 ounces a day so that he's hungry for other foods. Try giving him foods with higher fats - this is healthy for small toddlers if the foods aren't processed and the fat is coming from a whole source (i.e. the natural fat in milk or cheese, not from added saturated fats in processed foods). Peanut butter is a great option if there are no allergies present. My toddler loves toast with peanut butter & honey - or apple slices with peanut butter. And it might be time to introduce your little man to the wonderful world of the milkshake! You could make them at home so they aren't too sugar-laden. He'll need a good balance of the fats with the veggies, fruits/carbs too. Let me know if you need some toddler meal ideas. Weight gain is imperative to development, so it's time to pack on a few pounds now. You're already on top of it, so he's going to be fine. Good luck!
My son is 3 1/2 and he weighs 29 pounds. He's absolutely fine, just thin. His brother, who just turned 2, weighs 28 pounds. I'm really not sure about putting your son through all those tests. I would go for a second opinion.
My daughter is about 28 months and still tiny. I would get a second opinion. I was worried but my ped. said he was glad she wasn't overweight like so many other kids. Follow your instinct, if you feel she is usually happy and healthy, don't do the tests. Just feed her plenty of calories and healthy food.
