12 month old dropped off the charts

[brennan]

I'm not sure if I should be posting in toddler or here, so if I should move just let me know.

Alright, so my daughter has always hovered around the 25-50% in weight. We have been doing baby led weaning entirely (she self feeds herself), and not really had a problem. Around 9 months she dropped from the 50th to the 25th %ile and the dr got concerned but I wasn't concerened at all. We went back a month later, and she was back up to the 50%. We went in today for her 1 year check up and she has not grown at all since 10 months and is now below the charts. She hasn't even grown in height, and she's always been a tall girl.

With regards to the blw, I am a bit concerend because I don't know how much she is actually swallowing. She puts food in her mouth and then takes it out. I did notice a change in her poo a couple of weeks ago, where it was less bf poo and more solids, but that has gone away, and is back to just bf poo now. She was sick and throwing up a week ago and since then hasn't really been into solids. Honestly though, the only way that I get any food in her is by putting finger foods in yogurt or gravy, and she doesn't swallow the finger food, it goes in a comes out. We have tried spoon feeding her, but she's having none of that!

I have not been concerend because I believe that she will eat what she needs, I'm still bf her around the clock, and she's happy and quite advanced for her age (brain wise, I think ). I honestly believed that if there was something wrong I would have the instincts to know that something was wrong. But I don't know, maybe I'm wrong. What if something is wrong with her swallowing reflex......I don't know. We've been referred to a pediatrician (we're in Canada so we see a GP unless something is wrong) and I'm so nervous about that.

Any advice? Thoughts?? I don't know what I'm after...
Thanks
-Tricia

[demottm]

Being sick and throwing up can really take it out of a child. At that age they tend to go back to being EBF until they are feeling better. You took her to the doc after the throwing up right? This is also an extremely active time for kids. She may be learning to walk or run and this extra activity also has an effect on things. Anyway, I bet she is fine. Try offering very soft foods for her to eat, like carrots steamed really well or sweet potato also well done. I am hoping for the best for you and your LO.

[CrunchyChristianMama]

She sounds just like my daughter and many other toddlers I know. They go through spells of eating a lot of solids and then deciding they hate them. It completely normal.

My DD didn't change weight from 9-12 months. Then all of a sudden gained 5 ounces in a few weeks around 13 months. ??? I wouldn't worry if I were you. She sounds like a very normal little girl.

[wombatclay]

One thing to check would be celiac disease. My dd1 was diagnosed with it just a short time ago and it's now one of my "soap box" things.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder where the body can't process gluten. Gluten is in wheat, barley, and rye and anything made from these ingredients (so malt, additives, etc) or contaminated with these (so corn chips made at a factory where wheat flour is used to dust the conveyor belts for example). The gluten in the food damages the lining of the intestines and prevents the body from absorbing what it needs from the food you eat. Avoid gluten and you're fine, eat gluten and you gradually become malnourished (and often feel unwell to boot). Recent studies suggest that as many as 1 in 150 to 1 in 200 people may have celiac, though many are not diagnosed, are misdiagnosed, or don't get a diagnosis till they are in their 30s-40s.

In children the symptoms (like weight loss or failure to grow, unusually stinky poop, stomach pain, an itchy skin rash similar to eczema) often show up within a few months of gluten entering the diet.... so around a year. Our dd1 was always big and healthy and happy, but she had some of the symptoms and we discovered the problem when she had a blood test to rule out something else. (as long as your little one is currently eating a diet with gluten in it there is a ssimple blood test that can check for celiac)

That said, our dd2 started in the 95% for height/weight and during her first year she fell straight off the chart. She is currently at 10% weight, 50% height but she didn't really climb back onto the charts till around a year, and from there she has stayed steady at the 10/50 level. each kiddo is different, and there is a wide range of normal. And with breastmilk as the staple of her diet she should be getting what she needs! Still, a check for something like celiac may be good for peace of mind.

[blumom2boyz]

Sounds fine to me! If it makes you feel any better, ds3 was a peanut of a kid as well. He didn't have much interest in solid food at a year. In fact he was nursing just like a newborn. He was probably around 5% in weight and 25% for height. I didn't worry one bit b/c he was healthy and meeting all his milestones. I am assuming the charts your doctor was using are the ones for breastfeed babies and not formula (which there is a huge difference in growth curves). Trust your instincts!