[vegmom]

My dd is going to be 2 1/2 and she is soooo tiny. She eats a wide variety of foods including organic meats, butter, yogurt, veggies and oats and she still breastfeeds. She was not vaxed and is usually pretty healthy. I was not really worried about her weight until I was told that she was so low on the growth chart. I guess I am looking for support and to see if there are any tips of fattening up my dd. She has eaten a high fat diet of Coconut oil, cod liver oil and butter as well as eating avocodos and still no weight gain. She is also taking a multi-vitamin.

 

[Breathless Wonder]

What do her height and head circumference look like?

 

[snuffles]

I think we have talked before in health and healing a while back. How much does she weigh? My 33 mo is 23 lbs. How are her stools?

 

[ctdoula]

Has she always been petite, or is this new? If she's always been on the small side, I wouldn't worry at all. if she is dropping, that would probably worry me, or if her head isn't growing the way it should. But, if she's naturally a smaller person, that's just her.

My 30month old weighs around 24lbs (hasn't been formally weighed since 2yrs & she was 21lbs 10oz then, I'm guessing based on our bathroom scale). She's been under the weight curve & 25% for height since about 9months. That's just her. She's very healthy (only 1 sick pedi visit in her life), still nursing a few times a day,etc. She also eats a wide variety of foods, but I do not force food on her. If she's done eating, she's done. I completely let her decide how much to eat.

 

[mom2orionplus1]

If she's staying on her own growth curve, than I wouldn't worry. But it is another story if she took a sudden large drop. DS is a picky eater and a bit on the thin side. We give him eggs and avocados quite frequently as they are high in fat, but not unhealthy.

 

[snuffles]

I am not quite sure I agree about the dropping growth curve. I could be wrong though. My pediatrician said the same thing about my 33 month old (that her weight was fine because she was following the same growth pattern) but I noticed problems with her stools, and insisted on testing. I figured out she has several food intolerances. One of her blood tests indicated malnutrition, meaning she wasn't absorbing nutrients like she is supposed to... making her on the very small side. My other kids are small, but none were as small as she is at this age. That's why I was asking about stools-- if they are greasy, mucusy, watery, and/or frequent, I would try an elimination diet and/or have some thorough testing done.

I am sure some kids are supposed to be so small. I used to think my dd's extra smallness was just "her", but comparing her to my other children and from the blood tests, I knew something was up. If you think something might be wrong, please follow your instincts.

 

[Chele]

My son is small too, and I have been worried. But his stools are fine, he eats/nurses alot and he looks fine. He eats whatever I give him and lets me know when he is full. Keep in mind that those growth charts were made in the 50's based on formula fed white babies, there are alot of things those charts don't take into consideration. If your little one is happy and active I wouldn't worry. Also, growth spurts can happen anytime.

 

[vegmom]

Thanks for the response guys. My dd is 30 months and 24lbs. My dr has not measured her head since she was two weeks old so I have no idea whether that is ok or not. She is in the 10th percentile for height. The reason why I worry is because last winter she was classified as failure to thrive due to parasites and diarhea and since recovering from that she has not gained a pound. So it has been 9 months and no new weight. That is quiete a while since she is only 30months.

I can't tell whether or not her stools are ok because she goes on the toilet and her poops breakdown in the water. But she does have one or two bowel movements a day. When we went to see the doctor the only thing he did was give me the importance of snacking lecture. Like I don't know how to feed my dd

. Since the birth of dd#2 3months ago she has been nursing like 10xday because of the new full fat milk. She nurses more than dd#2. (of topic but I think that I am suffering from a milk duct plug on the breast that she nurses on

: ) And dd#2 is in the 50th percentile so if my milk can fatten up my new babe, why can't it fatten up my toddler since she drinks more?

She is healthy, just tiny. I just worry.

Mel, thanks for the recommendation on getting blood tests done. I think I will ask about them at her next check up. Are there special tests that I should inquire about?

oh and dorothea was born 3 days after my dd#2 (Lauren). Is she doing ok?

 

[ctdoula]

Vegmom - your dd weighs the same as mine does, but mine weighed about 20lbs 9 months ago. I personally would be very concerned if she (my dd) wasn't gaining any weight at all. Slow is fine, none isn't. I could be wrong (and I'm sure someone will say I am), but at 2.5 yrs old I would think that breastmilk isn't enough for your toddler to grow. They need more nutrients, fat, calories, etc.

 

[snuffles]

Hey Veg,

Yes, Thea is doing great! I haven't officially weighed her in a long time, but when I stand on the scale with her she is about 14.5 lbs. She has chunky little legs.

My ped was reluctant to do tests as well. I would tell your ped you are worried and insist on a referral to a pediatric GI dr. Are you giving her probiotics? I would start those (get powder and dissolve in juice or water). The ped GI dr will know what tests to run. PM me if you want to talk more.

 

[3boobykins]

Just wanted to add that the CDC growth charts have been updated to reflect sizes of both ff and bf babies of various races, averaged together. Some peds may still be using the old charts, but I'd guess that most have updated. Still, someone has to be in the 3rd % for other babies to be in the 99%!

 

[mich]

My first was always in under the 5th percential. At one point he dropped of the chart comlpetly for 6 to 12 mos.

Then at his 4yo checkup, the nurse started a new growth chart (I guess they change at 4). She causually mentioned he was at 50%.

He had only gained 2 or 3 pounds that year, I kept asking how he could go from 3% to 50% with 3lbs in a year?! She just shrugged and mumbled something about the chart.

He is still super skinny, but now he's 'average' because the chart says so

Good luck

 

[jogirl]

My dd is not quite 22lbs at 22 months. She's always had a hard time gaining weight and drinks about 2 cans of pediasure a day?! Without pediasure she loses weight consistently -- even though she eats (however, she eats like a bird). Anyway, I would be concerned if I didn't see any weight gain over a period of time. My daughter is very tall and constantly growing taller. Her head is large and growing too. She's just a stick. Since every other part of Anna is growing well except weight, I don't really worry anymore. If the weight gain stopped or went backwards I would be in for tests... that would scare me... she has so little weight reserve for illnesses.

 

[snuffles]

Wow, she loses weight consistently if she doesnt drink pediasure? That sounds odd to me.

 

[bluglass]

my ds never made it out of the 5% on either the old chart or the ff chart until he turned 5. They were worried but explained that his gains in height, weight and head circumference were consistent and he was properly proportional.

Good dietary fat for brain growth. The problem I found was in getting enough complex carbs for quick energy and protein for long-term energy burn. As you well know, kids burn huge amounts of calories. And even though what your child is eating sounds wonderful, she is still burning all her calories and using them for growth and doesn't have any extra for extra weight gain. I agree if she isn't dropping down the curve and doesn't have any other signs of malnutrition, hair, nails, skin, not healing well, repeated illnesses and other stuff I don't know about, then just keep doing what you are doing.

My last trick was that my mom happened to save every office visit slip showing my growth. I charted them against my son at the same intervals and it turns out that he was mirroring my growth almost to the centimeter and ounce. The confusion was that they wanted him to be growing compared to my husband who over 6 ft and of average build. They keep telling me to weight until he hits puberty.

Good luck.

 

[jogirl]

"Wow, she loses weight consistently if she doesnt drink pediasure? That sounds odd to me. "

It is odd, but she's incredibly active, can't drink milk (pediasure doesn't seem to bother her), and soy milk doesn't have the calories to keep her maintaining or gaining. She incredibly active and doesn't eat well, so, she loses weight without pediasure daily. Thankfully they make that stuff for kids in her situation who depend on concentrated calories for weight maintenance and growth.

 

[caitlinsmom]

I too have a little one. My dd has rarely even been on the charts, normally she is in the 0-3 percentile. Her head is fine and her height is average too. I worried about her weight for quite sometime but I noticed that her eating is directly related to her enviroment.
If I am running around cleaning, on the computer, on the phone ect she wont eat a whole lot. So I have started sitting down with her, talking about our day, food, ect and in the last month she has gained over a pound! That is great for us.
Anyway it sounds like her diet is good, maybe up her calories a little. I use only whole milk which has helped a lot. I add extra amounts to her mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, and what not. I also offer her lots of snacks like cheese all day.
I would however see your dr and see what her head and height % is, that will help you out a lot to know if those are ok. She may just be a bitty one