Is My Son Under Weight?

I would say that he is underweight, but all children are different. One of my sons was in the 10th percentile in height and weight. Out of nowhere, he's average now. I wouldn't worry about it. Just do what the doctor ordered. I'm kind of wondering if it is excessive to feed a child Haagen-Dazs 3 times a day. It could do a number on the arteries. I guess in small portions throughout the day would be ok.

J.,

I would consider changing pediatricians. Ice cream as a method for weight gain, regardless of where he is in the percentile seems ridiculous to me.

My 16 m.o. daughter weighs 23 lbs. and is only in about the 25th percentile for her age. So, yes I would say he is slightly underweight. I don't know how drastic it is, but if the doctor is suggesting he pick up some weight he may be a bit concerned. He probably should pick up about 5 lbs.

I wouldn't neccessarily give him ice cream 3 times a day... but I would increase his fat intake.

Best of luck,
K.

I think that suggesting high fat, high sugar treats with no nutritional value is bad medical advice. This is setting your son up for bad habits and isnt' a healthy way to help him gain a little weight. He is a little small for age (on average, babies triple their birth weight at a year). I would opt for healthier foods with healthier fats in them to supplement his diet in a nutritious way. Maybe a child nutritionist would be able to help you!

I'm guessing this doctor has Haagen-Dasz in his stock port folio! Or maybe his kid is a cardiovascular surgeon and he's trying to drum up a little business for his kid! I can just see your son now when he's an adult at the check out counter in a supermarket buying ice cream and sheepishly telling the cashier, "It's for medicinal purposes only."

Puleeze! Ice cream 3 times a day! That's rich!

my dd is 25 months old and just a little over 21 pounds. she was under the 3rd % at her 2 year appointment. MD is slightly concerned, so she has us come in in between her regular appointments for weight checks. Also recommended giving her ice cream (but not 3X's per day! just more often than normal) and along with other high fat healthy foods. she recommended trying carnation instant breakfast mixed in her milk, but dd is not a fan... i'm just gonna keep trying.

some high fat healthy foods have already been mentioned. but some other ones are:
-avocado (either just cut up or in a shake with fruit/milk/yogurt)
-peanut butter
-butter (i know that's not necessarily healthy... but i do mix it into her veggies, etc... and make sure and put it on her toast/bagel, etc.)
-cream cheese (again, not very healthy, but some not that bad for you fats)

basically, MD said don't ever give her any bread or stuff without anything on it...

Good luck! we're in the same boat!

My duaghter was also under the 5% for weight. She was born only weighing 3 1/2 pounds. I think as long as he eats and is going the bathroom I wouldn't worry. Just feed him food that are high in fat so he can put some more weight on.

The ped's "prescription" sounds completely bizarre to me. If your son was having weight issues, they would be remedied in a different way than by gorging on ice cream. I'm sorry, but it's totally ridiculous; please strongly consider a new pediatrican ASAP.

As far as whether or not he is tuly underweight - yes, he is thinner than average, but that doesn't really mean much. What matters is if his weight curve has suddenly dropped off (for example, from the 40th percentile to the 5th percentile over a few months), or if he is otherwise unhealthy.

J.,
i have to agree with all the other moms here...1st, and MOST importantly, if your child isn't losing weight, and everything else is considered healthy to the dr...then don't worry! 2nd, yes go by your family...if most are thin, then most likely, your son will be too. and 3rd, giving ice cream from time to time is fine, maybe even after dinner every night...but 3 x's a day is just ridiculous! my daughter is 18 months old, and probably somewhere around 35 lbs...but she's ALWAYS been 90-100% on that chart. she's also VERY tall, she looks like she's 3 (even taller then my friend's 2 yr old, and just about the same height as my other friend's 2 1/2 yr old who btw is also big for his age!). the one thing that wasn't mentioned in detail is the metabolism. you have to realize, the more you eat (and specifically MORE OFTEN, not in eat meal) the more, and harder your metabolism works, especially when you're very active! mine is completely shot, the only time mine works is while and right after i eat...so dr's are telling me to eat 5-8 meals a day (same amount i would normally eat in 1 day, just split it up amongst 5-8 meals). last year, my daughter was eating about 6-8 times a day, and once she started to get around on her own, she ate about the same, just picking and grazing as the day went by, and she was pretty thin (for 1/2 of my family). and now, she eats about 4 times a day (1 time is usually pudding with my MIL which she gives even when i say no) and my daughter has started to pudge up! she's also shooting up in height, but she's got those chunky "thunder" thighs (at the moment it's cute, but if she keeps it up, she won't find it so cute when she's older) and she's got that pot belly, that makes her look fat, but she'll have it 1 day for a couple days, maybe a week or so, and then for 2-3 days she'll look REALLY thin (for her). i guess all this has to do with metabolism, how much, and when they eat, and genetics. if you want to try and fatten him up because he's considered "under" weight...try feeding him later, don't give him anything that is fat free, light, or whatever...make it all stuff like WHOLE milk products. there are plenty of things out there that can be healthy AND natural fattening. if you're feeling concerned about the dr labeling him under weight, and the way the dr wants to have you "fatten" him up...just get a second opinion. i'm sure he's perfectly fine. good luck.

I am sure there are more nutritious foods to help your son gain weight other than Hagen Daas ice cream. Try only whole milk, whole milk yogurts, whole grains and whole grain pastas. Try giving him Pediasure or some store brand of the same drink. My girls are/were very thin. I have a 32lb 4.5yo and my dr would never suggest something like feeding her ice cream three times per day. And some kids are just naturally thin. I think being healthy and hitting milestones in the correct time fram is more important than weight. And I am sorry to be blunt but find a new pediatrician. The advice he gave you was ludicrous.

That's incredible that your doctor would recommend that your child eat ice cream to gain wieght. There are lots of other calorie rich foods with better nutrition. Mac and cheese is one, or any type of pasta dish. I also used to give my son an organic version of a pop tart for an after meal treat...those are pretty calorie rich. Also, you may want to try giving him an instant breakfast mix, mixed with milk at every meal. (He will love the flavored milks.) My son was about your son's wieght when he was born, and I think at his age he was a few pounds more, and my doctor was happy about it. I would say that a normal weight for your son depends on a lot of factors. Are his ribs sticking out? Does he have muscle tone in his legs, and arms and neck? Is everyone in your family naturally thin? His he short compared to other little kids his age. Everyone needs a layer of fat to develop, it is true, and if you can pinch his side and get about a half inch seperation, he's got a little.

What kind of crazy advice is that for a dr. to give for a 17 month old?
My son was 6.4 pounds when he was born, and came home from the hospital at 5.11 pounds. He's ALWAYS been in the 10-25 percentile in both height and weight, and my dr. never told me I had anything to worry about. As long as he's not loosing weight, they ALL catch up eventually. Now my son is 4 months away from turning 3 and still only 27 pounds.
Don't worry, and DO NOT load your child up with all that ice cream--no matter how much he may enjoy eating it! :-)

Hi J.,
He may be underweight according to the charts, but when are charts always correct, especially given that the trait seems to run in your family. I wouldn't feed him the haggan daz... it's got sugar and additives... as long as his blood tests came back okay, he's acting normal, and has a healthy appetite i don't see that there is a prblem.
-N.

The advice from your doctor seems questionable. I never heard of filling a child with empty calories (ice cream). You should at least use ensure or pediasure it has protein and various vitamins/minerals.

Your son is really at the 3rd percentile for weight, but it doesn't make him underweight yet. What matters the most is whether his percentile has changed from the last time his weight was checked. If the percentile is stable I would not worry that much, but if it has dropped it is wondering. Perhaps your nephew has been on the same percentile, and so was your daughter, and then this is just the way they are, and your son dropped (or otherword did not gain the expected amount of weight in the period of time). Did the doctor do any tests? Is your son alergic to anything (it didn't sound like he was)? I would try other foods - a lot of yellow cheese rather than those huge amount of ice cream, eggs, avocados, macaroni and cheese etc. Foods that are packed in calories in small volume but also very rich in other nutrients. Good luck!!!!

my first daughter remained rear-facing in the car seat until she was 16 mos. because she was under 20lbs. I think as long as he is meeting all his other milestones, then I'd not really worry about it too much. Just go about feeding him as you are and keep introducing new foods. Maybe try a bit more pasta, but I'd avoid the ice cream if possible. If you start to feed him so much ice cream now, it might catch up to him later. btw..my daughter is now almost 9 and weighs almost 60 lbs. underweight is not an issue for us these days...Good luck.

J.,

I agree with everyone else, starting him on ice cream I think is going to start a bad habit as he gets older. As long as he is eating regularly and and gaining and not loosing weight, I think he will be fine. My daughter is 14 months and 20 lbs, but has a belly and eats! So I wouldint worry! My daughter has her three meals plus plenty of healthy snacks in between and she's slowly gaining weight just fine. i really wouldint recommend junk food as a way to get him to gain weight! Good luck and keep us posted!

Hi! I wouldn't worry. Does he smile, play and love the world around him? If so love him for the little peanut he is. All 3 of my kids were peanuts that nursed. I would add veggie oil to their cereal. But they never seemed to get bigger any faster. Peanuts are just as yummy to nibble on as chubby walnuts.:)-K.

Hi,

My daughter was 3 in June and was 6 -13 when born. She dropped about a pound after leaving the hospital because I wasn't producing enough milk so I had to start supplementing her. After that they carefully monitored her weight. Although she continued to get taller she barely gained anything. She now weighs almost 30 pounds and is 38" tall. For a while the doctor kept telling me to "give her food any time she asked for it even if it was more then the amount she was supposed to have at her age". When I told the doctor that I fed her all the time they actually started monitoring her more closely and insinuated that I was with holding food from her. The were starting to accuse me of actually abusing my daughter by not feeding her enough.

Although this offended me, I put the doctor right back in her place and gave her a diary of everything my daughter ate in a day. Assuming your son is healthy and the blood work came back fine then I wouldn't worry about it. My mother has Celiac Spruce which is an allergy to wheat & gluten. Since this can be passed on it was a concern for me. Since my daughter is fine so far I have done other things to increase her calories. I personally don't agree with your doctor, I would increase healthy fats instead of sugar & other things that you might not want your son to get used to eating on a regular basis. I put AnnaMarie's Organic Olive Oil in almost everything she eats. I use that brand specifically because I know Anna Marie personally and see her passion for the quality of her oil. She owns an olive farm in Portugal and is the 5th generation of her family to run it. She over seas the production personally. I also give my daughter things like avocado, different nut butters, I make her oatmeal with milk (no water at all), I also add powdered whole milk to add more calories. I try really hard to make sure that what I give her not only has calories but is also nutritious. Babies develop very quickly and they need to have good food. I also give her coconut milk. She's sitting next to me eating polenta drenched in olive oil,with avocado, sour cream, (she loves to dip things in sour cream), & a side dish of tomatoes, mozzarella, fresh basil & of course olive oil, she has chicken, & some black olives. She has a sweet potatoe that she'll eat next, later she'll have some fruit & probably crackers with almond butter. She doesn't always have such nutritious meals but I try when I can. It also gets expensive trying to feed her so well. I will be honest, there have been times that I've skipped meals so that I could provide her with what she needs. She burns a lot of calories, waking up by 7am and staying up as late at midnight. She doesn't even nap!

I wish you the best of luck. Please let me know how it goes I hope I helped.

Kim

If I were you I would go to a different doctor. I think its very irresponsibe for a pediatrician to recommend ice cream 3 times a day for a child in order to gain weight. If you really think your son in underweight I would speak with a nutritionist and get some advice from them. Good luck.

i could be wrong but he doesnt seem that underweight...everyone metabolizes food differently...maybe get a 2nd opinion...

I think every child and doctor is different. My son isn't on the charts anymore. At 16 months, he wasn't even 20 pounds. His doctor said he's growing fine. He eats great. Actually eats like a horse. He's just burning a lot of weight. He's active. Always playing. I'm not worried because he's developing just fine. He's just small.

I know how you feel. My daughter is 15 months old and only about 18 lbs. She is in the 2% for her weight. My doctor had suggested giving her once a day milk with a little vanilla ice cream mixed in with her vitamin added. She said it would help put on a little weight and it is cheaper and tastes better than pediasure. But to only do it once a day. She eats constantly but just doesn't gain any weight or she loses weight between appts. She is so tiny that she is still in 6-9 month clothes. I don't know if I would go with giving him ice cream 3 times a day that seems like a lot. Maybe try what I do and make a milkshake once a day. I don't want to go overboard because it might catch up with them later. My daughter was about the same weight when she was born. Some kids just have a fast metabolism. If his ribs are not sticking out then I wouldn't worry to much. If you have any other questions feel free to send me a message. Hope I helped.
Jenn

J.: my son is 4 yrs old and just reached 29lbs Born 7lbs 11 oz). He has never been "on the charts" and I don't pay attention to them, nor does my dr. I was told that as long as his weight gain was consistent there really wasn't much to worry about. I too was told to give him "high-healthy fat foods". I give him cottage cheese, smoothies, and a milk shakes, yogurt and such. Speak to a nutritionist or look up good fat foods. I learned not to panic too much regarding this. Again, as long as his weight gain was consisitent and no other medical problems were found! My other son is almost two and weighs 30 lbs. Saves money on clothes!! Good luck!

Im suprized that your dr. reccomended icecream. I heard of other people using pediasure. The ensure for children. COmes in vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. Atleast it will be healthier then eating icecream.

How worrysome for you!

How is your MD determining that your son is underweight? Has he fallen off of his growth curve? Most children jump onto a growth curve right after birth, and tend to follow right along (with minor variations) for years! THAT is the best indicator of proper growth, not an arbitrary number! Doesn't matter where a baby falls on the curve (remember, the nature of a bell curve is that SOME people need to be on the 10th percentile end, others on the 90th percentile end, with the larger portion of people somewhere in the middle).

I have a BIG pet peeve about MD's that claim that "all of my babies are in the 90th percentile"... it doesn't work statistically! And you gotta wonder at what health risk to the babies?! Telling you to fatten the baby up on ice cream 3 times a day seems incomprehensible to me!

You are right to pay attention to family genetics... you have a well and healthy toddler, who eats often and in decent amounts. I would imagine that he is non-stop energy at this age as well, so burns his calories as fast as he takes them in! Probably got his Mamas metabolism as well.

As long as you are offering healthy food choices frequently (toddlers are grazers by nature) throughout the day, I think you will be fine! He will grow as HIS little body deems necessary!

Maybe get a second opinion...

Hi J.,
I recently took my 19 month old daughter in and she weighed 21 lbs. At 17 monthes she was 20 lbs. The Dr. that saw her at 17 monthes was not her regular Dr. and expressed concern about her not being above 20% on the chart. I could look at her and tell she was healthy, certainly not underweight to the eye. Just tall. It aggrevates me that these new Drs. rely so much on the pediatric charts. She saw her regular Dr. this last time who although acknowldeged that she was still only with in the 20% she was healthy and to continue offering snacks between meals. I'm afraid offering ice cream is going to start an eating habit that you will not care for. Best of luck.