My little shrimp

[Tizzy]

I've always realized that DS2 is smaller than average but I finally looked up the percentiles and he's below the 7th percentile for his height and weight. At least he's proportional!
He's a VERY good eater, he will try just about anything and eats a well-rounded diet. Aside from the usual cold, he doesn't get sick often so I figure he is healthy, he has a good complexion, is active and alert, not talking much but that hasn't really bothered me. He's 20 months old.

So...what can we do to help him out? Anything specific he should be eating more of? Should I introduce different vitamins? He likes to take floradix, should I be looking at something else for him as well or instead?
Do you think more protein, i.e. whey powder would help?

[NWmt_mama]

DD wasn't even on the weight chart until 24 months and she is still very tiny at 3. I weighed her and looked at a chart recently and she is at 1% for weight.

Our ped encouraged high fat everything - butter, whole milk, peanut butter, etc. She eats all the time, too. He had her tested for metabolic problems, but she is fine.

We worried about her, especially until she got on the charts, but she is fine. Some kids are just smaller.

[Friday13th]

My DS is itty bitty too. 5% for height and weight at his last appointment. I was always the smallest kid in school and DH isn't exactly a giant so I figure he's just going to be small. He eats a TON, peanut butter by the spoonful, he'd eat full fat yogurt all day if I let him and butter on everything. He's just little, he's gaining weight and height just in very small increments.

[colleentara]

DS is 20 months and I think at 3% for height and weight. His head is in the 45th %. Our latest ped. said he's fine... the one before that sent us to the 'failure to thrive clinic' even though he was consistently growing. The dr. at the clinic told us that he was absolutely fine....but I still wonder b/c I don't want to be missing something--
so I understand. He is healthy and happy...the only thing strange is that I rarely have to cut his toe/finger nails (haven't cut them in over a month).
This probably isn't much help-- but I do know how you feel!

[springmum]

I've got a little 20 month old too. He's maybe 32" & 22 lbs or so (haven't measured lately)
I always think he's average until we meet up with kids his age or a few months younger and they are giant next to him. It doesn't help when the parent looks shocked that he's 20 months and "so little"....ah well.

Still in 12-18 month clothing comfortably anyway. He finally eats really well ( has some food intolerances though) and is on or above all milestones (including talking in sentences)
I do have to cut his nails about once a week or so.
Ped. was concerned when he was dropping down the charts, but now seems to have "found his curve" on the charts, so she's no longer worried. His iron is on the low side of the range to I'm focusing on iron rich meals to see if that helps.

you're not alone

[nerdymom]

As long as he is growing he is fine! Bigger numbers do not mean healthier. They just mean bigger. If he is following the growth curve then he is fine. There are some kids who never make it onto the charts. As long as they are gaining, growing (albeit at their own pace) and meeting milestones there is no need to worry. Not all adults are the same size, and neither are their kids.

[Astoria]

I totally relate. No advice but similar concerns.

My baby is 17 months and she's 75% for height, 95% for head size, and between 5th and 10th % for weight. That worries me because with that kind of height and big head (!) shouldn't she weigh more? She nurses a lot and "grazes" all day. She rarely eats a full portion of anything, but she snacks on chicken, beans, rice, toast, fruit, pretzels, yogurt -- that sort of thing. I'm not sure what else to do. My ped is low key and hasn't expressed concern and I don't tend to worry easily. But I'm kind of a little bit starting to. Thoughts?

[BaaBaa]

my dd is 9th percentile for weight and 89th for height. she is 17 months, 21lbs and 35 inches. she looks fine to me, im not worried, or doing anything special. she just nurses as much as she wants and eats what we eat plus snacks

[lilmom]

I vote for not even worrying about it. I was teeny tiny growing up, weighed less than 5 lbs at birth..and was always the smallest in my class. But I also turned out to be pretty healthy, happy, and made excellent grades! People survived for centuries before they had charts to tell us what our kids should weigh, or how tall they should be. Unless he starts seeming like he is not healthy, I think he is just fine!!!

[ShyDaisi]

Don't worry about it! SOMEone has to be on the small side of the charts...not everyone can be in the 50th percentile. It sounds like he is healthy and eating a balanced diet. If you are very concerned, you could get a scale (accurate to the 1/2 ounce) to weigh him monthly to make sure he isn't losing weight.