Sdoctor Says My Daughters Fine, but I Think Not

Did you go to medical school? I think not. Is she playing all happy and normal? She is eating right? Is she lathargic, or major change in behavior?? As long as she isn't going backwards, she is fine. Unless there are thing you aren't telling us. But from what you say here, she sounds normal.
My son has always gained at least 2-4 lbs a month. Then his one year birthday hit and he slowed down to no gain. He eats like a tank, and plays non stop. He is now 17 months and is the same 33lbs that he's been for months now. Don't worry, if you still are worried get a second opinion. I doubt that they will say anything different.
*People I'm not meaning at as mean comment, I'm just clearly stating that her doctor went to school to become a doctor. And duh, i did not go to med school, I am in fact studying for EOA, but hey I guess that means I don't know anything, right?

That sounds fine to me. Lots of kids level off in their growth while they get more active as toddlers, and it seems like they don't eat enough to sustain a bird. That's totally normal and healthy.

I agree with the moms saying, this falls in the normal range.

If she is active, happy. eyes are bright, she is fine. If she is lethargic, hair falling out, dark circles under her eyes, dazed.. then there is a problem.

Kids will eat and eat and then one day just not have any appetite. Just like grown ups. They are just little humans after all.

Always offer healthy food and liquids. Children will not starve themselves and usually will not over eat, healthy foods.

If you ever think a doctor is lying to you or not trustworthy, by all means get a second opinion.

She's way more mobile, therefore burning more calories, at this age. My son didn't gain an ounce between his 9 and 15 month check ups!! But then he went back 2 weeks later because he was sick, and he had gained 4 pounds. As long as she's going to the bathroom and eating and drinking, even if she eats like a bird, she's fine :)

LOL @ the 2 ladies going back and forth about med school... I WENT!! Do I get a cookie or something? Play nice ;)

When my kids were that age, I remember reading the Dr. Sears books all the time (they always helped to calm me down when I was worried about my first baby), and one of my favorite things that he said is "How is your child acting?" For example, if your baby has a fever of 101 and is playing and running around happy, you don't have to worry too much about it. But if your child has a fever of 101 and is listless and lethargic, then this is a cause for concern and you need to call the doctor right away.

So the question is, how is she acting? If she's running around and playing, active and happy, then she's probably fine. If she's tired and cranky and not acting like a normal active toddler, then you should call the pediatrician back. Don't worry that she doesn't seem to be eating enough; she is probably just not going through a growth spurt and not eating as much because of it. Just keep offering her food, let her eat as much as she needs to, and she should be fine. I went through the same thing with my daughter (she was such a picky eater and small for her age) but she's always been really healthy and developed normally, and now she is a tiny and healthy 8-year-old (who is still a very picky eater). :-)

Look at the size your daughter's fist. That's about the size of her stomach - pretty small, right? It doesn't take much to fill a toddler's stomach either. I would cut down on juice and milk inbetween meals and make sure she eats protein first, then fruits or veggies. Keep healthy snacks available between meals will help as well. Some kids just like to graze.

Hopefully in a few months, you'll post about how your toddler is eating you out of house and home!

If you're still really freaked out, get a second opinion.

I think with this, you can trust your doctor. I think my daughter was at the same height and weight at that age. I also think between age 3 and 4 she barely gained any weight at all. Shes 6 now and a healthy little girl. Shes actually in the 75% right now for weight and shes a little stick! I dont let those numbers concern me. I wouldnt worry at all, they would probably run tests if they thought there was a problem.

Google pediatric growth charts. You can see the charts and read explanations of growth patterns.

The important thing is that OVER TIME, they are fallowing a growth curve. It's OK to level off in a 3 mo period--just look at the overall curve plots of her height & weight.

Also--if she's loading up on liquids--especially juices or too much milk--that really kills the appetite.

If she is staying on curve on her growth chart she is fine. Ask the doctor to explain the chart and normal growth curve to you to put your mind at ease.

If her doc says she is fine but you are still worried, likely there are things he or she didn't address that still concern you, or questions you still haven't asked. Ask your pediatrician about your remaining concerns. If your pediatrician still says she is fine and healthy, but you still feel otherwise, I would seek a second opinion. She probably is fine, but you need to put your mind at ease and none of us (well, few) are doctors. And none of us are your child's doctor. =)

Good luck to you and best wishes for a healthy family.

If you don't agree with your doctor, change doctors. You should be gonig to a pediatrician that you trust.

Well, you can certainly get a second opinion.
But it's only been 3 months.
Babies tend to slow weight gain when they begin crawling/walking.
As a rule of thumb, babies double their birth weight by about 5 months old and triple it by their 1st birthday. After that, weight gain slows considerably.
How tall are you and your husband?
Talk to your Mom and MIL and ask if they remember when you/your husband had your growth spurts. Some shoot up later than others.
Also, if your daughter is not falling off the growth charts - she's falling somewhere in a normal range - so try not to worry.
If she really is small, not growing and failing to thrive - what do you expect to do about it?
There are some hormonal treatments for people to help them grow but it can be risky, and you certainly do not want to mess with it unless there are greater dangers with leaving things alone.

Yeah, it definitely starts to taper off as they get older. I mean, if they kept growing at the curve they did when they were under a year, we'd have a world full of giants!

They will go from inhaling anything and everything you place in front of them to barely eating much. What my child could eat at 12 months is vastly different from what he wants to eat now!

Keep in mind that this is your first child and your first full-time experience with one. Your child's pediatrician, on the other hand, not only has 8 years of schooling plus at least 2-4 years of specific training with pediatrics but also has dealt with thousands of children. If there was something wrong, they'd know.

You don't need to do anything except for continue to feed her, love her, and take care of her. She'll be fine.

My daughter has weighed between 19lbs 7 oz and 20 lbs, 4 oz since September of last year (she was then 11 months old, she is now 18 months old). She is just petite, but I'm not concerned. She is much more active now that she is up running. She eats well, and gets good nutrition, which was my main concern. Check the charts, but she should be fine.

I hope you will ignore the "did you go to medical school?" comment. We have to be our own advocates for ourselves and our children! I would have died if I had followed my doctor's advice a couple of times!
That being said, your daughter is probably fine. As long as she is alert and ok in every other way I wouldn't be too concerned. Is she meeting other developmental milestones? If you continue to be concerned, make sure the doctor knows what your concerns are.

Well my daughter will be 3 in 6 weeks and is 33 inches and 23 lbs. Some kids are just smaller then others.

She sounds fine to me. You have to remember at first infants just grow and grow and grow but once they hit a year it really slows down. My second daughter was 20 pounds by 6 months. She is now 2 (26 months to be exact) and she is now 27 pounds. So from 6 months until now she has only gained 7 pounds. But that is totally normal! She is healthy and actually still a little on the c***by side. Also being picky eaters is normal too. I have days when my girls hardly eat anything all day and then eat better the next. Honestly her height and weight are just fine. She will continue to grow it's just gonna be a lot slower now.

I don't remember where I read it, but someone once said "Toddlers seem to exist on air alone" and each of my kids has gone through stages like that. (And now the oldest has shot up more than 5", seemingly overnight, which is no less unusual for *his age.)
I wouldn't worry one bit. But if you're really and truly concerned and you feel like your doctor is incompetent, you absolutely should look for a new one!

Well, when we went in for my son's 12 month appointment, the doc asked if he had stopped eating yet! I was really confused, but she explained that around this age when they are beginning to walk and see the world differently, they kinda lose interest in eating because there are simply too many distractions. So, just keep giving her options, lots of healthy snacks throughout the day. Like everybody is saying, as long as she is happy and playing and alert she is likely doing just fine. Little kids don't actually need a lot of food before they are full anyhow.

Seriously, your daughter does sound fine. Children will eat when they're hungry. My son, at almost 36 months is a very picky eater, and is thin, but he has super muscle tone and will definitely eat when he's hungry. It may not be exactly as we would like, but he's growing totally within normal ranges. Please don't worry so much about this - not all children have the cute little c*** - goodness knows mine doesn't, but he's healthy and active.

my daughter was that way. She stopped gaining weight at 10 months old and literally stayed the same weight (within a pound) for over a year. She just turned four and is FINALLY starting to hit a growth spert. So if you trust your doctor then just let her be and work with her on eating. But its always best to trust your mothers intuition....

I have 4 kids, and they were all smaller than "normal" as babies. My youngest was only 17 lbs. at one year old, and she had a huge appetite. I don't think she ever got above the 5th percentile on the height/weight chart. She's 12 now, catching up to her 16 year old brother in height, and no longer skinny. My other kids are adults, 5'8" and 5'4". If she's energetic and happy, and your doctor isn't concerned, relax! :)

My little girl is 16months old, 29 inches and just now hit 19 lbs. She is just petite. I worried a little at her last checkup. But the pediatrician wasn't worried and said she could take some pediasure (since she is a picky eater right now) so she gets her calories.

MegandOllie asked you if you went to medical school. Guess what? SHE DIDN'T, either!!! She is currently in school for executive office administration. Geez...

Babies grow so fast in the first year of life that you think it will continue like that forever. But once they start being active - walking, running, etc. they slow down on the growth and work on getting stronger. I would not worry so much about her size but concentrate more on her development. Is she on par with other kids her age, as far as motor skills, verbal development, fine motor skills? If she is falling behind in those areas, then I would seek help. Good luck

She sounds good to me! My 18 month old is 16 lbs 10 oz. She was 15 lbs 8 oz at her 12 month & 15 month checks. I'm not overly concerned because she's developing on track. However they've had tests run (all fine) and are now doing a food diary and possibly sending her to a g.i. We added Pediasure to her diet in Dec. She's only supposed to have milk(1/2 ped& 1/2milk) after her meals instead of with them so she's not filling up on milk. The big concern comes if her growth curve drops. The way I look at it is someone has to be on the bottom of the chart in order for there to even be a chart!

she's about the same size as my little girl, but mine is about 26 months old... they typically have a slow down in growth between 12-18 months as they are becoming more mobile, etc. they are also just "busier" and more interested in exploring than eating and drinking. based on the little bit of info that your provided, and the fact that the DR isn't concerned, my gut would say that she's probably fine. is she happy? does she play? does she have plenty or wet diapers? normal bowel movements? is she meeting her developmental milestones? if all else is well, and it's JUST her weight that's bugging you, i'd say relax. if there are other issues or you just can't deal with it, get a second opinion. try not to borrow trouble - your little girl is probably just fine :)

My daughter had NO solids until 18 months. She refused anything except breastmilk....so at 18 months, I stopped nursing, since she wouldn't even take a bottle and I left her for 8 hours with a friend one time to see if she'd get hungry enough to eat - NOPE. She was 23 pounds at 1 year old and my husband is not short, he's 6'6". I think she was 26 pounds at 2 years old and by then was eating everything.

My nephew was 22 pounds at 2 years old.

Everyone is different. Breathe.

If you think your doctor is not listening to your concerns, then get a second opinion.
Or go back in, or call, and ask for him to explain why your daughter's growth slow down is ok.
Slow down in weight gain is normal. But I would have been concerned had my child not shown a change in height and weight at that age.
Maybe get her measured again? They aren't very cooperative at that age! :)

My son has only gained 2 lbs in almost a year and has grown very little up. However his body has changed a lot and if I look at pictures of him from 1 year to now (22 months) it is amazing the difference. Even when he looks chunky I weigh him and no change.

He eats like a horse at daycare but hardly eats at all at home on the weekends or at night. Drives me CRAZY!!

With that sad- if you are really concerned, make an apointment at a different Ped and see what they say. It will be a lot of paperwork for just a 2nd opinion, but if it will make you feel better then do it! My son is 22 months and is around the 50% for his height (33in) and weight (29.5lb)

It is at about that age that the rapid growth slows down and kids start to eat in spurts. Some days they won't eat much, I used to think mine were starving themselves and some days you may feel like she is eating you out of house and home. Feed her a small amount every 3 hours or so, limit mild to about 24 oz a day and give at the end of a meal. Remember that she is not going to eat the same portion you do because she is much smaller. You will probably find that she eats more when she hits her next growth spurt. Don't force her to eat if she is not hungry!

If you feel comfortable with your pediatrician I would not worry. If your gut is screaming that something is wrong, you could always take her records and get a second opinion. Or maybe ask for a referral to a nutritionist.

I actually asked a question about this a year ago about my daughter. She will be three at the end of June and weighs 26 pounds and is 34". I was concerned too, and still am to an extent, that she eats a great diet, but does not grow much. She finally just made it on the growth chart at her 2 1/2 year appointment. Her growth rate was pretty flat. Her pediatrician was not overly concerned since she ate great and was very healthy. They did some tests, particularly the thyroid, and all was normal. My daughter looks very healthy, but she is just tiny. I have to keep reminding myself that even though I am 5'8" my mom and mil are only 5' so my daughter does have some petite genes.

Kids growth rate definitely decreases after a year. If you are truly concerned bring up your concerns with your pediatrician and if he/she does not listen then find another dr who will. Also with the food you give your daughter make sure it is healthy and calorie rich. I gave my daughter avocado, great source of fat, and put olive oil on practically everything so she would take in more calories.

At our 2 yr apt in Feb my DD was 30 inches and 23 lbs.... She grows pretty slow and has always put on weight pretty slow too.. I have been giving her pedisure shakes to make sure she is getting enough nutrients just in case... but I am pretty sure she has gone through a big for her growth spurt this last month:) I think each kid grows at their own pace and as long as she seems healthy otherwise else I wouldn't worry about it too much... but if you are worried about it still I would just keep an eye on her and make sure what she does eat is healthy choices:)

Our daughter is 32 months and is only 27 pounds and 34 inches. She still wears 24 month clothes - some 18 month!! And she eats like your daughter - it's so sparse! I feel like she doesn't eat ANYTHING! But everyone has said she is fine, and she acts and is developing perfectly normal, so I have quit worrying about it. I completely understand your tredpidations though!! Especially since our 7 month old son only weighs about 4-5 pounds less than her!! LOL

Go with your instincts and go see another doctor for a second opinion.
Best of Luck!

I think that she is probably just fine. Some kids are just tall and skinny!

The question to ask yourself is... she developing? Is she growing? Does she have energy and is alert during the day? Is she usually in a good mood? Is she healthy most of the time?

My daughter is 2 years, 4 months old and she tips the scale at a whopping 23 lbs and is 34.5 inches tall... GASP! but she is just tall and skinny. She is gaining weight, just not as much as other kids.

If you are really concerned for a reason other than what the scale says, then surely get a second opinion! But it sounds like your daughter is doing just fine to me! Maybe she'll grow up to be very naturally model-esque... who knows?

If they think she needs to gain weight, the doctor will tell you. Then they basically say to try to feed her lots of high-fat, high calorie foods (like butter, full fat sour cream, bacon, etc) My daughter is supposed to be encouraged to eat those types of foods along with plenty of fruits, veggies, and healthy carbs... but even at her weight and age they aren't too worried until her growth is affected.

So my advice- relax... make sure she is getting healthy fats and calories at mealtimes and keep an eye on her general health- but don't worry!

-M.

Updated

I think that she is probably just fine. Some kids are just tall and skinny!

The question to ask yourself is... she developing? Is she growing? Does she have energy and is alert during the day? Is she usually in a good mood? Is she healthy most of the time?

My daughter is 2 years, 4 months old and she tips the scale at a whopping 23 lbs and is 34.5 inches tall... GASP! but she is just tall and skinny. She is gaining weight, just not as much as other kids.

If you are really concerned for a reason other than what the scale says, then surely get a second opinion! But it sounds like your daughter is doing just fine to me! Maybe she'll grow up to be very naturally model-esque... who knows?

If they think she needs to gain weight, the doctor will tell you. Then they basically say to try to feed her lots of high-fat, high calorie foods (like butter, full fat sour cream, bacon, etc) My daughter is supposed to be encouraged to eat those types of foods along with plenty of fruits, veggies, and healthy carbs... but even at her weight and age they aren't too worried until her growth is affected.

So my advice- relax... make sure she is getting healthy fats and calories at mealtimes and keep an eye on her general health- but don't worry!

-M.

My oldest son was like that. The docs never worried but my hubby's family gave me such grief and treated him like he had a fatal disease. But he was just small. Now he's 17 and taller than me!

That's the exact size of my daughter and she's 23 months old. We've had all the lab tests done and work ups for FTT, and she's fine.

Sounds pretty normal to me. Babies seem to grow like weeds for the first 12 months or so and then once they hit their first birthday they just don't gain weight as rapidly anymore. For my daughter the eating slowed down considerably around that time too. I think part of it was because she just didn't need as much food at that time and part of it was because she was getting used to all the new tastes and textures. Our pediatrician prints out a height/weight graph that shows your childs growth by age. This is the one they use: http://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/data/who/GrChrt_Girls_24L...